MANILA, Philippines – The Zonta Club of Muntinlupa & Environs Foundation holds the “Pinoy Ito! Bazaar” on Oct. 17 and 18, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Cuenca covered court, Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa City.
The bazaar offers the best of Filipino artisans, livelihood crafts and culinary experts from nearby provinces and communities. Also for sale are farm produce and seafood from northern and southern Philippines.
Zonta aims to raise funds for the group’s service and advocacy flagship project SAGIP (Saklolo At Gabay ng Ina at Pamilya), a capability-building effort to empower the abused women and children victims in Muntinlupa and nearby communities.
Zonta Club of Muntinlupa & Environs is a member of Zonta International, which is a global service and advocacy organization of women executives and professionals working to promote the status of women legally, politically and economically, in health and education. It has 30,000 members in 1,200 clubs in 67 countries and geographic areas in the world.
Zonta Club of Muntinlupa recently received a hall of fame award at the 18th Zonta International District 17 Bangkok conference for its flagship service and advocacy project Sagip. It is a 24-hour crisis response center assisting women and children who are victims of physical and sexual violence providing psychological, legal and temporary shelter for them. It collaborates with the local government in setting up women’s desks in the communities of Muntinlupa City and provides the mentoring of the teachers in the city schools in teaching how to recognize physical and sexual abuse among the young students.
SAGIP also received the Zonta International Service Award at the 62nd convention in Florida, USA, where it got third place. A total of 1,200 clubs worldwide vied for this honor and distinction.
Since it started in May 1998, the local government of Muntinlupa has been its funding and resources partner. Mayor Jaime Fresnedi has authorized the use of a new building in the Filinvest area as Sagip’s new offices.
Lourdes Wallace is its current president while Emily Hayudini and Ma. Linda Mendoza serve as internal and external vice presidents, respectively. Other officers are Cecille Jacinto, treasurer; Ma. Pilar Menendez, secretary; and Lourdes Guerrero, assistant secretary. Club directors are Helen Aquino, Yasmin Crisostomo, Alexandra Garcia, Anna Jose, and Cristina Henson-Ngkaion. Council of advisers are Brenda L. Tanjutco, Catalina Chaves, Gloria Garcia (current chairman of SAGIP) and Carmencita Henson (current president of SAGIP) and Ma. Pilar Menendez (heads the TDZ — Tulong Dunong ng Zonta scholarship program).