MABALACAT CITY – This city government has kicked off its month-long celebration of Women’s Month, dubbed “We Make Change Work for Women” on March 8.
According to Mayor Crisostomo Garbo, this year’s celebration, with a sub-theme “Agenda ng Kababaihan Tungo sa Kaunlaran”, aims to highlight the empowerment of women as vanguards of change in the society.
This year’s observance also highlights women exercising their choices, taking chances to make their voices heard, and benefitting from and trailblazing changes. It is a celebration of Filipino women’s power to take the narrative, raise priority issues that matter to them, and call for concrete actions.
Mabalacat City Population, Gender and Development (POPGAD) Officer Charlo Costales said that a myriad of events is slated for the city’s month-long celebration.
Prior to the grand motorcade and distribution of assorted vegetable seeds during Tuesday’s launching at the city hall, a Free HIV/AIDS Screening and Counselling has been ongoing from March 1 to 6.
A Lecture on Sexually Transmissible Infections (HIV/AIDS) and Family Planning, Antenatal Care, and Reproductive Health for Adolescents is slated coinciding the Mabalacat City Araw ng Mga Buntis on March 10, 2022.
On March 16, the members of the Mabalacat City Association of Empowered Women (MCAEW) will get to enjoy a day of free hair cutting sessions, while Gender Focal Person System (GFPS) members will convene for the Women’s Rights Forum on March 16th until 17.
On March 18, the city government will hold its Women’s Summit 2022 at the Park Inn Radisson Clark, coinciding with a Feeding Program for Indigent Women and Children. Meanwhile, a Training for Trainers for Adolescent Reproductive Health will be held from March 21 to 25 at Hotel Stotsenberg.
Mabalacat City’s beneficiaries under the WE LEAP (Women Empowerment through Livelihood Entrepreneurship Advancement Program) will have their General Assembly cum Training on Business Management and Financial Literacy on March 28 at Hotel Stotsenberg. This will concur with the four-day Forum on GAD Related Laws with regards to Women with Disability which will happen from March 28 to 31.
March 29 will mark the city’ implementation of Basic Orientation on GAD Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning (RPFP) and Distribution of Social Pension among the beneficiaries of Social Protection Program for Adolescent Mothers and their Children (SPPAMC). Meanwhile, Children from Urban Poor Families will unleash their talents with a TikTok Mashup event and a Feeding Program on the 29th of March.
Furthermore, the city will implement a Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning for Women of Reproductive Age from March 1 to 31. In the meantime, all employees of the city government are expected to wear purple on all Tuesdays of March.
Capping the month-long celebration, the city government will formally inaugurate the newly-renovated Mabalacat City Birthing Station, which will also mark the Buntis Day at the said facility on March 31.
