By Lilian Mellejor (PNA)
DAVAO CITY – Women should work together to advance causes that affect them all.
This was the message of Mayor Inday Sara Z. Duterte to the members of the Philippine Federation of Local Councils of Women (PFLCW) on Wednesday, as she highlighted the collective power of women in enabling others through social enterprise and other initiatives.
Mayor Sara, who spoke at the three-day 16th General Assembly of the PFLCW here, said women leaders should use their platforms to lead and serve fellow women and men with compassion, devotion and integrity.
She underscored the importance of moving together and pooling resources to address common concerns among women.
“With our collective efforts, let us use voice talents to lead and to serve our fellow women and men with compassion devotion and integrity,” she said.
As a local leader, the mayor vowed to champion the various causes of women and continue advocating their rights and welfare — including the children — through the implementation of the Women Development Code of 1998.
She said the city government is committed to continue pushing the establishment of the Barangay Women’s Desk, provide livelihood assistance through the Magnegosyo Ka Day, health care support, and shelter for abused women and children.
Under the city’s “Magnegosyo Ka Day” initiative, she noted that the local government has already assisted four cooperatives with a loan package of PHP1 million each. The program, she added, has also benefited some 1,161 disadvantaged women through a capital seed fund totaling PHP8.6 million.
These pro-women initiatives, she said, aim to empower Dabawenyas to develop economic independence and enhance their potentials.
She also underscored the government’s continued promotion of the rights of all residents across genders.
“This is the guiding principle behind the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance of Davao City,” she said.
However, the mayor acknowledged that much more need to be done as she encouraged the assembly participants to use the gathering as an opportunity to find solutions to common concerns.
The PFLCW is a network of women organizations in the government, non-government organizations and the private sector with a total membership of 500 Local Councils of Women composed of 50,000 women.
This year’s Assembly of PFLCW, which is hosted by Compostela Valley province, focuses on Women in Climate Change, the Role of LGUs in Peace Building, ICT, Digitalization of Government Processes, micro and small medium enterprises, and the rights and leadership of women in the locality.
