ILOILO CITY — Products of 20 women entrepreneurs from Western Visayas were showcased in a bazaar held inside the University of the Philippines campus here that was initiated as part of celebration of Women’s Month this March.
Ugsad Regional Gender Resource Center (Ugsad GRC) Western Visayas coordinator Dr. Mary Barby Badayos-Jover on Thursday said that the bazaar provided the women entrepreneurs opportunity to earn their own money for their needs.
“Some of the products of our women entrepreneurs were not mainstreamed so, this is could really help them,” she said.
Ugsad GRC was established in Western Visayas in July 1999 to answer the need for a more focused and well-coordinated implementation of gender and development programs and projects.
Western Visayas region is composed of the provinces of Iloilo, Antique, Capiz, Aklan, Guimaras and Negros Occidental.
One of the exhibitors is the Jordan Ati Community Association, composed of women who are part of the indigenous people (IP) communities in the island.
Mary Joy Parcon, vice-president of the association, said that they were really privileged because they were given the opportunity to be part of the bazaar.
“Our income that will be gathered here will really be a big help for us for our everyday living and to buy our materials so we could produce more,” she said.
Their products included bracelets, earrings, necklace, among others. Their products are handmade and coated with some of their beliefs like warding off evil spirits, Parcon said.
The two-day bazaar is just among the highlight activities for the Women’s Month here.
About a hundred of women advocates under the Ugsad Regional Gender Resource Center Western Visayas joined the Thursday caravan at 8 a.m. stopping by plazas of various districts in this city, to raise the awareness of the public on the significance of the celebration.
Jover said that there is still a need to promote gender advocacy especially the rights of women.
She said that there is still a need to further strengthen the role of focal persons for Gender and Development (GAD).
There were also eight plays prepared by students and alumni of the UP-Visayas that depicted the present status, representation and misrepresentation, victories, defeats, struggles and problems of gender dynamics.
Professor Alfredo Diaz, director of the play, said that the short plays would provide the public better understanding of the relevant and deep issues affecting women though the plays are “intimate and short”.
He hoped to share their play with other institutions so they could educate more individuals in the region. (PNA)
