ICCWI Spearheads Women’s Month Celebration
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Dr. Josephine Robredo Bondoc (Center) with (L-R) Councilors Michelle
Sweet-Booc, Providencio Abragan, Jr., Unidentified ICCWI Member,
Councilor Emmanuel Salibay, Queenie Belmonte and Renefe Padilla.
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Iligan City
March 8, 2016
Ms. Renefe Mosot Padilla, President of Iligan City Council of Women, Inc. (ICCWI), in cooperation with Congressman Vicente “Varf’ Belmonte Jr., Vice Mayor Ruderic C. Marzo, Councilor Providencio A. Abragan Jr. and Councilor Michelle E Sweet-Booc, Committee Chair on Women spearheaded the yearly observance of Women’s Month last Monday, March 7.
This year’s theme is “Kaayohan ni Juana, I-apil sa Agenda!” (The Welfare of Juana, Be Included in the Agenda). The theme calls for gender-balance in leadership and decision making both in public and private sector and to include women’s concerns in leadership platforms and the government’s agenda and preparing women and girls to reach their goals and ambition.
Around 3,000 women from different women’s group in various barangays participated the early morning parade that started from the Iligan Port Area passing along the streets of Sabayle, Gaisano Mall, Post Office, and Quezon Ave. and ended at the Iligan City Freedom Park to demonstrate the importance of the event.
Doc. Josephine Robredo Bondoc, youngest sibling of the late Jessie Robredo former DILG Secretary and the sister-in-law of Hon. Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo who is running for Vice President under the Liberal Party, represented Robredo as guest speaker during the program.
Bondoc revealed in her message that behind the success of the late Jessie Robredo was a woman, “Tulad ninyong mga kababaehan na nandito nayon. Kayo po ang bawat sekreto ng bawat pamilya, sapagkat kayo mga kababaihan ang haligi at iliaw ng tahanan. Kayo ang dahilan kong bakit nakaka pag trabaho ang inyong asawa. Tulad ni Leni, siya ang dahilan na kung bakit nagawa ni Jessie ang 6th class municipality ng Naga to first class City. Dahil sa supporta ni Leni sa kanyang pamilya hindi lamang sa anak pati ang buong pamilya ng Naga.”
Josephine also stated that Leni before becoming a lawmaker, worked as lawyer for the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) and later joined a non-government organization (NGO) that provides free legal aid to marginalized sectors, including abused women. She is also pushing for economic empowerment for women, an instrumental fight on violence and abuse against women especially disabled women.
In line with the program Congressional Chief Of Staff Queenie Belmonte who represented her father Cong. Vicente “Varf” Belmonte Jr. expressed her warm admiration of the strong force and united group of the Iligan City Council of Women. “Nagpaila lang nga dili na basta-basta si ‘Juana’ ug dako akong paglaom sa umaabot nga katuigan mag pabilin pa mo magkahiusa ug wala na gayod mga babae nga madaogdaog ug matamakan.” Ms. Queenie stated in her inspirational message. – The New Ranao Star -
