International Women's Day in Baguio

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Commemorating the International Women's Day in the Cordilleras:

Extolling the heroic struggle of indigenous women and toiling women in the region and all over the world

Baguio City

Manila Baguio Calamba Davao Negros Hong Kong

March 8, 2010

Photos courtesy of Joel Aquino Capulong and Tracy Anne Dumalo


PRESS STATEMENT Cordillera Women’s Education Action Research Center (CWEARC) #16 Loro St., Dizon Subdivision, Baguio City, Philippines Tel: (63)(74)442- 5347 Email: cwearc09@gmail. com Reference: Vernie Yocogan-Diano Executive Director On the occasion of the 100 years of March 8 as International Working Women’s Day, CWEARC (Cordillera Women’s Action Research Center) a suppport institution for indigenous women’s organizations in the Cordillera region hails the indigenous women and toiling women in the region and all over the world in living up the history of March 8 as a day of action for toiling women to improve on their status in society and advance the rights of women in all fields. On the festive week of Panagbenga (Baguio Flower Festival), CWEARC supported indigenous women’s organizations’ s advocacy on food, traditional knowledge and rights through a booth acquired from the secretariat of the Session Road in Bloom. From March 1 to 7, CWEARC and Innabuyog’s booth at the Session Road in Bloom displayed and sold women’s products composed of handicrafts and food items. The added value is putting on display images and actions of indigenous women’s organizations on their defense of food resources and traditional knowledge. As a build-up for the 100th years of March 8, the history was also printed and shared to the public including publications of CWEARC on indigenous women in the Cordillera. This makes the booth unique from all other booths which were purely market. “Through this festive event that we are also able to share to the public the Women’s Agenda on Good Governance to get public input. The Women’s Agenda will be further substantiated in a Cordillera Women’s Summit that we will hold on March 8”, presented by Vernie Yocogan-Diano, executive director of CWEARC. The Women’s Summit will be held at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Baguio City Hall at 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM which is expected to gather over a hundred women delegates from different provinces of the Cordillera and from Baguio City. The women’s agenda embodies the aspiration of Cordillera women and our vision of good governance. These are food security and environment sustainability, regular jobs and economic opportunity for women, sufficient social services for women, protection of women from all forms of violence including the respect of rights of the lesbian, gays, bi-suexual and trans-gendered and justice for victims of human rights violations especially women victims. “The Women’s Agenda will serve as our frame of critieria in choosing candidates and political parties who will be wooing the votes of women in the upcoming May, 10 elections”, pointed out by Diano. A solidarity march will follow after the Summit to bring the Women’s Agenda on Good Governance to the wider public and celebrate the 100 years of struggles for women’s empowerment. ### - Innabuyog (alliance of indigenous women's organizations in the Cordillera, Philippines) #16 Loro St., Dizon Subdivision Baguio City 2600, Philippines innabuyog@gmail. com -- GABRIELA National Alliance of Women in the Philipppines Address: 35 Scout Delgado Street Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City 1103 Philippines Telefax: (632) 3744423, (632) 3712302








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		NEWS RELEASE 08 March 2010 REFERENCE: Emmi de Jesus, GABRIELA Vice Chairperson and Gabriela Women’s Party Second Nominee (0917-3221203) Public Information Department (Teta thru 0917-4661522) On March 8 International Women's Day Thousands of women march the streets nationwide, demanding jobs, social services and end to Arroyo's rule Thousands of Filipino women took the day off today, not to rest, but to storm Mendiola to condemn the widespread poverty and political repression under Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's government, in the militant tradition of commemorating the International Working Women's Day Dubbed as the National Women's Day Of(f) Protest, the mobilization was participated by women workers, peasants, urban poor, professionals, religious, youth and students. Led by the militant women's group GABRIELA, they were also joined by Sen. Loren Legarda, Sen. Jamby Madrigal, Sen. Pia Cayetano, Gabriela Women's Party Representatives Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan, and other personalities. “The unity that women showed today should convey the message to Arroyo that unlike her claim, the future of Filipino women and their families is bleaker now than it was when she assumed power in 2001, and it could only start to get bright through a democratic change—change that starts by foiling any attempts that would allow Arroyo to perpetuate itself in power beyond June 30,” said Emmi de Jesus, GABRIELA vice chairperson and Gabriela Women's Partylist second nominee. According to GABRIELA, with the widespread poverty, culture of impunity and her exercise of tyranny, Arroyo's reign in power resulted to massive violence against women. Until today, the 26 women who were among the 43 health workers illegally arrested remain in detention. There is still no justice for the Ampatuan massacre, 15 of the victims were women. Hence, on the observance of Women's Day today, the group burned an effigy of Arroyo that symbolized her government's legacy of electoral fraud, corruption, plunder, political repression, extrajudicial killings, and selling out of the nation's sovereignty. “Earlier this month Arroyo defended her economic records, citing figures to claim that her government has improved the lives of the people. But in reality, the said “accomplishments” were never felt by the people. Worse, her administration's barefaced corruption has made the impoverished women and their families more vulnerable during times of calamities such as the current drought season and last year's storms Ondoy and Pepeng. And when women stand up to defend their rights, they are met with repression. There are already hundreds of women victims of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings under Arroyo’s de facto martial rule law” said De Jesus. “As we observe the centenary of the International Working Women's Day, we remember women in history that valiantly defended women's rights and our nation's sovereignty. But today, we also register our strongest contempt to a woman president whose puppetry to foreign powers like the United States and their policy of privatization, liberalization and deregulation has pushed Filipino women to unprecedented crisis—that even the most basic needs like rice, sugar, utilities and fuel have become almost impossible for them to avail,” added De Jesus. For her part, Gabriela Women's Partylist Rep. Luviminda Ilagan underscores how the upcoming national election can be an opportunity for women to advance their political participation and put forward their democratic agenda. “Women want change. We want food on the table, jobs, social services, good governance and freedom from violence. We want information and access to reproductive health care. Our success in winning seats for two consecutive terms in the Lower House through Gabriela Women's Party, the lone partylist that represents women, show that we have the power to install leaders that will truly represent our democratic aspirations. This upcoming election, women also hold the power to deny the anti-women and anti-pople Arroyo and her allies to extend their stay in power,” said Ilagan. The calls in GABRIELA's protest action in Mendiola were echoed in other parts of the country as well as internationally. GABRIEL chapters also led thousands of women in rallies in the province of Davao , Baguio , Negros, Panay, General Santos, and in many parts of Southern Tagalog and Western Mindanao regions. GABRIELA chapters in Hongkong and the United States also held similar actions. ### Public Information Department GABRIELA National Office (+632) 3712302






ELECTIONS 2010











Songs and campaign jingles

■ Satur Ocampo - Liza Maza Campaign Jingle	■ Satur Ocampo Jingle		■ Liza Maza Jingle

■ JIngle in Cebuano	■ Jingle in Ilongo		■ JIngle in Tagalog

■ Sasaturn na tayo	Pagbabago sa Senado: A Song for Makabayan Senatoriable Ka Satur Ocampo
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