Gina de V again heads women’s coalition in House

MANILA, Philippines - For the second time, Pangasinan fourth district Rep. Gina de Venecia was elected as president of the 79-member Association of Women’s Legislators Foundation Inc. (AWLFI), the official women’s coalition at the House of Representatives, last Wednesday.

De Venecia said, “To achieve a sense of balance with our menfolk, it is important that the lady legislators band together.”  

“While the 16th Congress has the biggest number of lady legislators in history, at 79, we are still a minority, representing more than a fourth of the total congressional membership,” she said.

In her speech, De Venecia urged her fellow women lawmakers to “be resolute in wielding their will for gender equality issues, for peace, for education, for environment and sustainable development, and for basic human rights.”

She also reminded them to review and consider 38 House bills filed at the committee on welfare of children chaired by Rep. Aurora Cerilles and 21 other measures at the committee on women under the chairmanship of Rep. Linabelle Villarica.

In her first term as AWLFI president during the 15th Congress, De Venecia transformed the 12-year-old coalition into a foundation registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. She also established its official headquarters at Room 219 on the second floor of the south building of the House of Representatives complex.

The other newly elected AWLFI officers are Reps. Ma. Theresa Bonoan (fourth district, Manila), vice president for National Capital Region; Villarica (fourth district, Bulacan), vice president for Luzon; Marie Anne Pernes (lone district, Siquijor), vice president for the Visayas; Bai Sandra Sema (first district, Maguindanao), vice president for Mindanao; Cinchona Cruz-Gonzales (CIBAC), vice president for party-list; Emi Calixto-Rubiano (lone district, Pasay City), secretary; Elenita Milagros Ermita-Buhain (first district, Batangas), assistant secretary; Evelina Escudero (first district, Sorsogon), treasurer; Elisa Kho (second district, Masbate), assistant treasurer; Maria Leonor Gerona-Robredo (third district, Camarines Sur), auditor; Sol Aragones (third district, Laguna), public relations officer; Magnolia Rosa Antonino-Nadres (fourth district, Nueva Ecija), assistant PRO; and Estrellita Suansing (first district, Nueva Ecija), muse.  

Comprising the AWLFI board of advisers are Reps. Henedina Abad (lone district, Batanes), Imelda Quibranza Dimaporo (first district, Lanao del Norte), Rose Marie Arenas (third district, Pangasinan), Herminia Roman (first district, Bataan), Luzviminda Ilagan (party-list, Gabriela), Bellaflor Angara-Castillo (lone district, Aurora), and Ruby Sahali (lone district, Tawi-Tawi).