For four decades, hardworking women have been celebrated during the month of March, which is recognized as the National Women’s Month Celebration (NWMC), a part of the worldwide adherence to International Women’s Day. To serve as legal bases for the annual event are the following issuances: a) Proclamation No. 224 s. 1988, declaring the first week of March each year as Women’s Week and March 8 as Women’s Rights and International Peace Day; b) Proclamation No. 227 s. 1988, providing for the observance of the Month of March as Women’s Role in History Month; and c) Republic Act (R.A.) 6949, declaring March 8 of every year as National Women’s Day.
Last 2017, the Philippine Commission on Women (PWC) Board Members and Inter-Agency Technical Working Group decided on the theme “We Make Change Work for Women”, which will be used until the year 2022, which highlights women as active contributors for development and is geared towards the commitment of “Malasakit at Pagbabago”. The 2019 NWMC will be laser-focused on improving and tracking the progress of the Magna Carta of Women (MCW). According to the PWC, three laws have been implemented to enhance social protection and respond to the vulnerabilities of women and their families: R.A. No. 11223 otherwise known as the “Universal Health Care Act”, R.A. No. 11210 or the “Expanded Maternity Leave Law”, and R.A. No. 11227 or the “Handbook for OFWs Act”.
The objectives of the 2017-2022 NWMC aim to promote a citizen-centric governance, make a conscious effort to implement change, strengthen the enforcement of the MCW, as well as empower women and promote gender equality. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau proudly joins in the yearly celebration by supporting the initiative with a banner in public display at the entrance of its premises, as well as the posting of the different R.A.s on the Gender and Development Corner such as the R.A. No. 9262 or the “Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004”, R.A. No. 7877 or the “Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1955”, R.A. No. 8353 or the “Anti-Rape Law of 1997” and R.A. No. 7192 or the “Women in Development and Nation Building Act”.
By: Mineral Economics, Information and Publication Division