With the theme “Kapakanan ni Juana, Isama sa Agenda”, hundreds of women from the different organizations of Tacurong City gathered to observe the International Women’s Day on March 8, 2016. Starting with a motorcade at around 7 o’clock in the morning, the participants then proceeded to the Tacurong City Sports and Cultural Center for the opening salvo of the 2016 International Women’s Month Celebration.
This year’s celebration was organized by the City Government of Tacurong through the Tacurong City Women’s Council. The participants included women from organizations and offices including the Tacurong-PNP, LGU-Tacurong, LGU Women Solo Parents Association, Violence Against Women Desk Officers, Day Care Workers’ Association, women with disabilities, Samahan ng mga Biyuda, Rural Improvement Club, Daughters of Mary Immaculate International, Girl Scouts of the Philippines, City Schools Division, Philippine Statistics Authority, National Food Authority, TESDA, Sultan Kudarat Water District, SUKELCO, SILOAM ABC Learning Center, SKSU, 601st Brigade, 33rd Company, and the different barangays of the city.
In her message, City Mayor Lina O. Montilla, who is also the very first woman chief executive of Tacurong, highlighted the contributions of Tacurongnon women in building Tacurong to what it is today.
Further, during the program, the participants delighted the crowd with their lovely performances as a showcase of women talent. Some rendered a song, others performed well-choreographed dances, while others led the crowd in a community dance.
The resource speaker for the event was Dr. Teresita L. Cambel, a highly accomplished and multi-awarded woman professor whose achievements in the academe world are well-regarded all over the world. During her speech, she tackled the role of women in Philippine society and economy, how there is little to no disparity between the sexes in the Philippines in terms of economic opportunity and education, but how little representation women have in government positions. In closing, she said that it is a challenge for future administrations to completely close the gap of the remaining gender inequality issues we are experiencing in the country.
Republic Act 6949 declared March 8 of every year as National Women’s Day while Proclamation No. 227 series of 1998 provides for the observance of the month of March as Women’s Role in History Month. The International Women’s Day and International Women’s Month celebrations run accord with the said statutes. (Yen Robles, Tacurong-LGU)