National Women’s Month Celebration 2024: Ragayanas’ accomplishments, contributions recognized at PUP-Ragay Campus PurpleYou Campaign
(Editors’ Note: Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Ragay Extension or PUP Ragay is the sole PUP branch in Southeastern Luzon. It is located on top of a hill in Barangay Lower Sta. Cruz in Ragay, Camarines Sur. PUP Ragay offers college courses in Accountancy, Business Administration, Economics, Finance and Politics, and Education. Its College of Accountancy has produced many Certified Public Accountants that serve in national and regional government agencies as well as private companies. PUP Ragay seeks academic excellence in the region with its aspiration, “Padagos sa pagsirang!”
Ragay is a 1st class municipality with a population of 59,770 (2020), It grew out of a coastal settlement called ” Hagay” during pre-Spanish colonial times. The area is richly endowed with natural attractions (beach resorts, dive spots, waterfalls and caves). Its thriving economy is based on agriculture (coconut products such as bukayo, bamboo craft and furniture, fiber craft such as sinamay, sinukot and buri), fisheries (fresh catch and dried fish from Ragay Gulf), and tourism (Kaburihan Festival, its 2-day town fiesta end of May, and Our Lady of Penafrancia festivities which feature a fluvial procession along Ragay River).
Empowered Ragayanas, women partners and collaborators of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Ragay Campus in its Gender and Development and Extension Service programs, projects, and endeavors, are given tribute and appreciation “for their exemplary contributions in their own fields, and their services to the community “in a ceremony dubbed as PurpleYou Campaign on March 25, 2024.
The awardees include the following:
- Dr. Rosalyn T. Perida, Vocational School Superintendent I of TESDA Ragay Polytechnic Skills Institute (RPSI), focal person for partnership for skills training programs for Project Tumpak and Project Task-O
- Ms. Emma Louisa Clemente Aquino, of brgy. Agrupacion, community organizer, and project director of Gawad Kalinga Esteban Village
- Ms. Eilyn L. Nidea, a published author, editor, and translator, an actor on stage and Bikol indie films, and an educator teaching at the Ragay National Agricultural and Fisheries School (RNAFS) in Brgy. Liboro
- Ms. Marivic A. Rez, RSW, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer
- Ms. Suset Consulta Meulio, RN, Social Welfare Assistant at Ragay DSWD, and KALIPI Coordinator since 2016
- KALIPI Presidents/Representatives (list below)
KALIPI is Kapisanan ng Liping Pilipina, a federation of women’s organizations established by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the local government units to support and empower women. These are the KALIPI awardees:
- Armida Reynante, Representative, Brgy. Agrupacion
- Eva G. Orlain, President, Brgy. Amomokpok
- Dulce B. Literal, KALIPI Federation President, Brgy. Apad
- Jeanie B. Lodronio, President, Brgy, Apale
- Mariella Villanueva, Representative, Brgy. Baya
- Nori C. Cabral, President, Bgry. Banga Caves
- Lea Santelices, President, Bgry. Binahan Upper
- Imelda Enriquez, President, Bgry. Binahan Proper
- Mely O. Marasigan, President, Bgry. Cabadisan
- Rosalyn Bentihaba, President, Bgry. Cabinitan
- Milagros M. Nacor, President, Bgry. Cabugao
- Iluminada V. Hugo, President, Bgry. Caditaan
- Zenaida M. Juarez, President, Bgry. Cale
- Joy Tolentino, Representative, Bgry. Catabangan Proper
- Ezperanza A. Aquino, President, Bgry. F. Simeon
- Marilou Aldeza, President, Bgry. GRS
- Rowena M. Cueto, President, Bgry. Inandawa
- Myra Marcelo, Representaive, Bgry. Laguio
- Leonor Q. Olor, President, Bgry. Liboro
- Marilou Boya, President, Bgry. Lohong
- Remedios L. Manalo, President, Bgry. Lower Omon
- Mylene P. Ariscon, President, Bgry. Lower Sta. Cruz
- Delia C. Dupalco, President, Bgry. Panaytayan
- Michelle Montaἠo, President, Bgry. Panaytayan Nuevo
- Marilyn N. Meulio, President, Bgry. Poblacion Ilaod
- Maricel Tibig, President, Bgry. Poblacion Iraya
- Nelia Ebora, President, Bgry. Port Junction Norte
- Dolores A. Evangelista, President, Bgry.Port Junction Sur
- Rosalinda M. Boἠon, President, Bgry. Salvacion
- Aiza Embo, President, Bgry. Samay
- Marisol Janohan, President, Bgry. San Rafael
- Rosalinda Joya, President, Bgry. Tagbac
- Eden C. Cena, President, Bgry. Upper Omon
- Francia M. Dueἠas, President, Upper Sta. Cruz
The master of ceremony, John Patrick C. De Lima, president of Sentral na Konseho ng Mag-aaral, shared with the audience short profiles of each awardee. The awarding ceremony was conducted alongside a symposium at the PUP Gymnasium with the theme PUP: Strengthening its Commitment to Inclusion, Empowerment, and Women in Development at its 120th and beyond.
PUP Ragay Campus Director Veronica S. Almase, DBA, the resource speaker, a native of Lopez, Quezon, highlighted her own journey to being an empowered and accomplished woman through PUP education, training, and opportunities despite her humble beginnings as the youngest of 12 children of a father who supported his family by catching crabs and shrimps. She also stressed that the Sintang Paaralan in its 22 campuses in the country has been consistent in its commitment to contribute to the creation of a more equitable and just world for us all through its inclusive policies and inclusive leadership that celebrate diversity. She ended her talk by saying that “Together, we can really make a difference.”
Dr. Dorren D. Arenque, Gender and Development (GAD) Coordinator, and Extension Management Cluster 10 Coordinator (EMCC-10), in her orientation of the participants, enumerated a number of the legal mandates/bases for the celebration of National Women’s Month. To mention a few: 1. Proclamation No. 224. S. 1988, “Declaring the First Week of March of Every Year as Women’s Week and March 08, 1988, and Every Year Thereafter as Women’s Rights and International peace Day” 2. Proclamation No. 227, s. 1988, “Providing for the Observance of the Month of March as ‘Women’s Role in History Month” 3. RA 6949 s. 1990, “An Act to Declare March 08 of Every Year as a Working Special Holiday to be Known as National Women’s Day”.
Also, she highlighted the 2023-2028 theme: WE for gender equality and inclusive society. Further, she mentioned another accomplishment of the GAD Center, that of establishing a GAD Corner in the university library that will help enhance students’ and stakeholders’ awareness and appreciation of GAD concepts and advocacies. In 2018, in the GAD Office, a GAD Library was also established, featuring books on varied subjects/topics, and artworks on, for, and by women, created and donated by alumni and friends of the university, also through the initiative and facilitation of Dr. Arenque.
GAD Assistant Coordinator Michael Jan V. Gñilo in his closing remarks stressed that ‘Women have long proven their abilities and capabilities in various sectors of society. Women are already empowered. However, there is still an urgent need to reach out to those who are marginalized and victimized. He enjoined the audience: “Let’s go out to them and uplift them.”
Other highlights of the event are special presentations from the Cultural Affairs Office (Indak Dynasty) with two dance numbers, the second of which was to the beat of Gabriela songs, and from Teatro Ragayano (Eilyn L. Nidea’s Marites for Women Empowerment monologue performed by Maryjane G. Figueras, and a dramatic reading of Kugos (a Bikolana take on Maira Kalman’s Women Holding Things) by Eilyn L. Nidea). Also, there was a rendition by Medelyn Arena Oclarino, BSBA HRM 4-1 of her original composition entitled Babae Ka, Hindi Babae Lang.
(Many thanks to Eilyn L. Nidea, Faculty, RNFAS and Director, Teatro Ragayano, for providing us with content and pictures for this posting.)
Featured header photo: (L-R) Dr. Almase, Dr. Perida, Ms. Meulio, Ms. Aquino, Ms. Nidea, Ms Figueras, Ms. May Negrite, and Dr. Arenque.