Loren: Women’s role in society evolving

CEBU, Philippines - Senator Loren Legarda cited the women of San Francisco in Camotes Island, Cebu, as role model to other provinces in effective agents of change and leaders of society.

“The role of women in our society has continuously evolved through the years. However, more women participating in decision-making, whether within the family, the community, or the nation, does not mean they are already considered equal to men,” said Legarda in a statement.

An instance Legarda has cited is in times of disaster and economic stress where women are the primary caregivers and also carry out much of the household workload after a disaster.

Legarda cited that the women in San Francisco town in Camotes Island are in charge of environmental protection and disaster prevention programs in each and every purok.

“I am certain that the women are also active participants in the local initiatives to protect the environment, such as the municipal-wide clean-up drive and the use of eco-bags instead of plastic. These are important steps in making our communities safe against disaster risks,” she said.

Legarda said that women around the world and here in the Philippines are silently making their invaluable contribution to society.

“It is time to usher a new phase where women and girls are no longer portrayed as victims but heroes,” Legarda added.

San Francisco town in Camotes Island, Cebu is among the three Philippine local government units on the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction’s (UNODRR) list of 29 model communities worldwide that are “exemplars in disaster risk management and reduction.”

These LGUs have been noted for their “best practices” on a wide range of challenges, including flood management, early warning earthquake reconstruction and legislation.

UNODRR reported that San Francisco town “has integrated disaster risk reduction into environmental and social development programs, which prioritize selected resilience targets that are practical and tangible in the eyes of the local community.”

“These include solid waste management, tree planting, mangrove rehabilitation and integrated farming. Children and youth are involved in all aspects of resilience building,” the report said.

The municipality’s purok (subvillages) system “has been important in mobilizing and empowering communities by connecting them into a wider model of participatory governance. The system undergoes regular evaluation to ensure continuous improvement, using indicators developed to measure success,” it also said.

Last year, San Francisco won the prestigious UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction, mainly for its purok system to improve the citizens’ ability to manage risk.  —BRP (FREEMAN)