Women's group leader angry at Talisay councilors

CEBU, Philippines - After witnessing how the Talisay City council repeatedly avoided deliberating two proposed ordinances that should have given benefits to the city’s women and Barangay Health Workers (BHW), the president of the women’s federation has vowed to campaign against councilors who are running for reelection this May 10.

“Kung kang Konsehal Belleza hulga ra, akong buhaton, mangampanya ko batok aning mga konsehal sa atong dakbayan nga walay gibuhat. Tagakon jud ni silang tanan, walay mapili!” said Josephine “Jo” Leuterio, president of Talisay City Women’s Federation.

The federation reportedly has more than 3,000 members in the city.

Leuterio was among those tens of TCWF officials and members who came to the session hall last Tuesday to show support to the two proposed measures filed by Councilor Shirley Belleza. And like the rest of her officers and members, Leuterio emerged from the city hall dismayed and disheartened over the council’s treatment of the proposals.

It was last March 9 when the council was supposed to deliberate Belleza’s proposed ordinances for added benefits for the city’s BHWs and for the implementation of the Gender and Development (GAD) code, but majority of the members boycotted the session, hence it was cancelled for lack of quorum.

The following week, it was calendared again, however, before the council could tackle what was in the order of business for that session, upon the motion of Councilor Arturo Bas, majority of the members, Belleza not included, agreed to relinquish their committee chairmanships and memberships to free themselves from tasks for the coming campaigning. Albeit she did not like the idea, since it was the decision of the majority, in less than 30 minutes, Belleza lost her majority leader position along with three of her committees: Health, Tourism and Women, Children and Family.

It was presumed to be a political move, meant to immobilize her, since she would rather support her husband, former Vice Mayor Aberdovey, who is the opposition camp’s vice mayoralty bet, rather than her party’s very own candidate Vice Mayor Alan Bucao.

After what had happened, Belleza is still undecided whether to completely turn her back on her partymates or throw her support behind her husband's party instead.

The other day, the third-term lady councilor delivered a privilege speech, apart from calling the past weeks’ events a “zarzuela,” had also described the councilors’ delaying tactics in discussing her ordinances as “anti-women.”

This was however denied by the councilors present, saying they could not be so as they also have women in their own families who they love.

But Leuterio, who is a resident of barangay Pooc, does not believe what she heard in the session hall.

“Pulong ra na nila nga nahigugma sila. Kinsa? Sa ila rang mga asawa, mga anak, ug mga k__t? Pero wa mi labot ana. Kay pila na katuig ning GAD code, wala gihapon nila giatiman, sige lang og lay on the table,” she said.

The city’s GAD code implementation would have given protection to women and children, and would have enforced the mandatory 5-percent share of the city’s annual budget to them.

As for the ordinance for the BHWs, it would have increased their monthly honorarium of P300 to P500. Although it is a far cry from Cebu City’s P4,000, it would have been a bit of a help to them, Belleza said.

Belleza has however agreed to lay her proposals on the table once again, to allow her fellow councilors to study them for another week. – Liv G. Campo   (FREEMAN NEWS)