Skip to main content

Imee highlights Ilocos Norte's improved maternal health, VAWC awareness, equal opportunity on Int'l Women's Day

WOMEN of Ilocos Norte clad in pink, the signature color for International Women's Month, doing their best "kinni-kinni" during the parade on March 8. (Reu A. Flores)

Mizpah Grace G. Castro
PGIN-CMO

The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) through its Gender and Development (GAD) office highlighted the province-wide celebration of International Women's Month on March 8, through the fifth annual Kinni-Kinni parade in Laoag City.

With the theme "Pagsayaatan ni Juana, Karaman ti Panagdur-as" ("Kapakanan ni Juana, Isama sa Agenda"), GAD Ilocos Norte conducted a series of activities including a Women's Trade Fair, health and domestic violence symposia, and self-defense trainings from March 7 to 10.

On March 8, International Women's Day, women representing the different city and municipal halls, the Ilocos Norte Electric Corporation (INEC), Ilocos Norte Water District (INWAD), Ilocos Norte Provincial Police Office (INPPO), the Zonta Club of Ilocos Norte, as well as the different academic institutions of the province gathered and paraded through Laoag City.

The parade culminated with a mini-pageant of pregnant women, crowning Kathlyn R. Acupan of Adams as Buntis Queen 2016, as well as the Kinni-Kinni Queen (Rampang Ganda) hailing from Marcos. There was also an awards ceremony recognizing Pasuquin as having the Most Attractive Delegation; Batac City as having the Best Booth during the Trade Fair; the National Statistics Office having come up with the Best Slogan, and the San Nicolas National High School as the Choral Singing Champions.

In her speech, Ilocos Norte Governor Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos highlighted three reasons for celebration as proofs of women empowerment in Ilocos Norte.

Referring to the United Nations initiative, the millennium development goals (MDGs) that include advocacies for women's health, she said, "Dito sa Ilocos, bumagsak na sa loob ng anim na taon itong mga istatistika ng mga nanay, ng mga buntis, at kanilang mga sanggol, na hindi kumakain nang sapat, hindi nabibigyan ng prenatal care at nauuwi sa mga home birth at iba pang high-risk behavior… It is a great boon and testament to our care for families and for our own health that women and children are finally the getting the attention that they deserve.”

In relation to violence against women and children (VAWC), she revealed that the number of reports reaching the Philippine National Police (PNP) Women's Desks have risen, reflecting women's growing awareness of their rights, but that "we need to move forward into the millennium so that these practices, customs, and wrongfully accepted behaviors are finally put to an end."

She added, "Our program for women's livelihood is finally getting its fair share… In Ilocos Norte, we are fully aware that livelihood and employment programs for women are not merely additional income. More importantly and more frequently, they are sadly the main and single source for family income," pertaining to PGIN programs geared towards assisting women in establishing sustainable livelihoods, such as the Lacasa Loan and period livelihood trainings.

International Women's Day was proclaimed by the United Nations (UN) in 1977 primarily as the UN Day for Women's Rights and World Peace.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd  of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become an annua

PIDS expert says income tax cuts justified; warns gov’t of revenue loss

Proposals to amend the personal income tax schedule appear to be well-justified. However, these proposals should include measures that will allow government to recover the revenue loss from lower income taxes. Dr. Rosario Manasan, senior research fellow of state think-tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), said at a seminar sponsored by the Philippine Senate, that government should look for new revenue measures to compensate for the projected revenue loss that will arise as a result of the implementation of any of the various proposals to restructure the personal income tax. Currently, there are several income tax reform proposals pending in both houses of Congress. All of them, according to Dr. Manasan, have the same objective of addressing the phenomenon of bracket creep, which results from “non-indexation to inflation of personal income tax brackets”. Simply put, bracket creep occurs when employees’ income increases over time as a result of inflation. Th

PGIN honors Ilocano heroes of past, present through Heroes Walk

SPO1 Allan Lampitoc Franco of Banna, Ilocos Norte and PO2 Jovalyn D. Lozano of Adams, Ilocos Norte receive a resolution of commendation, a certificate of college scholarship grant to their family members and a P20,000 cash incentive each from the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte represented by Governor Imee R. Marcos and Vice Governor Angelo M. Barba in recognition of their bravery and heroic acts in the Mamasapano clash in Maguindanao on January 25. Mr. Franco and Mr. Lozano were recognized on March 10 in time for the unveiling of the second batch of Ilocano heroes at the Heroes Walk located along the Sirib Mile in Laoag City.  (Lei Adriano) By Jennifer T. Pambid PGIN-CMO In honor of the heroes who brought freedom, fame and glory to the province as well as to the country in the past century, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) through the Education Department and Sirib Youth Office launched the second batch of Ilocano Heroes Walk on March 10, 2015.