Tambuling Batangas Publication March 07-13, 2018 Issue

OPINYON Marso 07- 13, 2018 Papel ng mga mga kababaihan sa komunidad ipinakita sa Women’s Month celebration BATANGAS CITY- Mahigit sa 3,000 mga kababaihan ang lumahok sa pagdiriwang ng Buwan ng mga Kababaihan at International Women’s Day nitong March 7 upang ipakita ang lakas at kakayahan ng mga kababaihan na iangat ang kanilang buhay at ang papel na kanilang ginagampanan upang magkaroon ng positibong pagbabago sa kanilang komunidad. Ang tema ng pagdiriwang ay “We Make Change Work For Women”, isang hamon na tinutugunan ng maraming programa ng pamahalaang lungsod sa pamamagitan ng City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) at iba pang ahensya para sa mga kababaihan. P a g k a t a p o s ng Banal na Misa sa Basilica ng Immaculada Concepcion, ininda ng mga kababaihan ang init ng araw at nagparada mula dito papuntang Sports Coliseum kung saan isang programa ang idinaos. Ang mga lumahok ay nagmula sa ibat-ibang samahan tulad ng Rural Improvement Club (RIC), Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI) sa bawat barangay, mga day care workers at social workers. Sa mensahe ni Mayor Beverley Dimacuha, sinabi niya, na buhay na Fading memory or a concerted effort to make people forget? By BENJIE OLIVEROS THIRTY-TWO years since the first EDSA People Power and the celebrations continue to lose its spirit, and the crowds that attend it. I am referring, of course, to the official government celebrations. It is natural for the collective memory of the Filipino people about EDSA People Power to start fading. After all, those who have experienced first hand the dark years of Martial Law and the struggle against it are now in their golden and senior years. But for a President to purposely skip the EDSA People Power celebration is quite instructive of the incumbent administration’s regard for this historic event, regardless of the release of a prepared statement, which was also sent to the media. Worse are the attempts of President Duterte’s avid supporters, even a member of his official family, from the Presidential Communications Operations Office at that, to raise questions on the historicity and significance of the event. Some people surmise that the low regard for EDSA People Power by the Duterte administration, and its not so secret cabal of defenders, could be attributed to President Duterte’s closeness to the Marcos family. After all, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos has been financing a systematic campaign to revise history by presenting the Martial Law years as a “golden age” in the country, conveniently skirting the fact that it was a brutal dictatorship and characterized by scandalous corruption. Needless to say, the Marcos family is aching to make a comeback in national politics and to power. However, this may not be all there is to it. To attack EDSA People Power is to attack the ideals that represent it and the aspirations that made it possible: love of God and country, democracy, human rights, good governance, peace and social justice, national unity, and people empowerment. Is the low regard of the Duterte administration for EDSA People Power surprising? The Duterte administration has been receiving a lot of flak for its disregard for democracy by attacking the press, free speech, and critics of its policies; disregarding human rights and the rule buhay ang women power sa pamahalaang lungsod sapagkat bukod sa babae ngayon ang Mayor, halos lahat ng namumuno sa mga departamento at dibisyon dito ay mga kababaihan na ang talino, kakayahan at potensiyal ay naging mahalagang sangkap ng kaunlaran ng lungsod. “Tayong mga kababaihan ay dapat maging malakas at handa sa anumang hamon ng buhay ng may paninindigan at takot sa Diyos,” dagdag pa ng Mayor. Sinabi naman ni Mila Espanola, hepe ng CSWDO, na higit na isusulong ng kanilang tanggapan ang pagpapatupad ng batas laban sa Violence Against Women and their Children (VAWC) sa bawat barangay. Ayon kay Nena Garcia, Women’s Desk Officer ng Batangas City PNP, may 64 kaso ng paglabag sa R A 9262 o Anti Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004 at RA 7610 o An Act Providing for Stronger Deterrence and Special Protection Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination and for other Purposes ang naisampa sa korte noong 2017. May 22 kaso laban sa mga kababaihan kagaya ng physical, emotional, psychological at economical abuses habang may 20 kaso ng pangaabuso, 16 na rape at anim na acts of lasciviousness laban sa mga bata. Bilang pagkilala sa mga kababaihan, pinagkalooban ng Gawad Parangal ang mga natatanging samahan ng mga kababaihan sa barangay. Napiling Pinaka Aktibo/Masiglang Samahan ng Kababaihan ang sa Barangay Conde Labac; Pinakamasikap/ Masigasig na Samahan ng Kababaihan ay ang Poblacion 2; Pinakamatibay na Samahan ng Kababaihan ay ang Barangay Malalim; at Pinakamahabang Panahon ng Paglilingkod bilang grupo ng Kababihan ay ang Barangay Pinamucan Silangan at San Agustin Silangan ng Isla Verde. Nakuha ng barangay Malalim ang may Pinakamahusay sa Pamamahala ng Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). Ang Pinakamahusay na Pamamahala ng Mini Nursery ay nakamit ng barangay Poblacion 2 at ang Pinakamahusay na Pamamhala ng Mini Nursery at MRF ay nakamit ng barangay Tingga Itaas. Bilang bahagi naman ng kampanya para sa kapaligiran, napiling Babaeng Makakalikasan 2018 si Eugenia Ebora ng Brgy. Malalim, Most Elegant si Emy Magbuhat ng Banaba East, Most Simple si Wendy Mendoza ng Poblacion 2 at Most Confidently Beautiful si Elly Jane Advincula ng Brgy. 14. Tampok din sa pagdiriwang ang One Barangay One Project kung saan ibinida ng bawat barangay ang kilala at masarap na pagkain sa kanilang lugar. (PIO Batangas City) of law with the numerous killings of suspected drug users and political activists; for its perceived kowtowing to China in the country’s territorial dispute with it and allowing the US to intervene in the Marawi conflict; terminating the peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines; for passing and implementing the TRAIN law, which has been causing price spikes, its planned jeepney modernization that will result in a massive loss of livelihood, and for turning its back on the vow to end labor contractualization; for its failure to stem corruption; and need I mention about national unity and people empowerment? These very same ideals and aspirations that are enshrined in the 1987 Constitution are being planned for removal by the Duterte administration’s allies in Congress with the current push for Charter Change. A sign of hope is the increase in attendance in EDSA People Power commemorations during times of crisis and struggle. Here, I am referring to the unofficial celebration being held by different groups. The Catholic Church held a “Walk for Life” to uphold Human Life and Human Dignity. Progressive groups and civil libertarians likewise held their own commemoration with a protest against attacks on the people’s democratic rights. If the Duterte administration continues with its collision course against broad sectors of Philippine society, well, they haven’t learned from history.

Tambuling Batangas Publication March 07-13, 2018 Issue | Page 5