Bulatlat - The Philippines's alternative weekly magazine

Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts

Vol. VI, No. 6 March 12 - 18, 2006 Quezon City, Philippines

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	The International Women's Day: In Photos PHOTOS BY BENJIE OLIVEROS AND AUBREYMAKILAN Bulatlat PHOTOS BY BENJIE OLIVEROS Protesting against what they called as another “repressive government”, women from all over the country held simultaneous rallies in commemoration of International Women’s Day March 8 in Tuguegarao City and Isabela, Baguio City, and Ifugao in Northern Luzon; San Jose City in Nueva Ecija; the Export Processing Zone in Rosario, Cavite, Batangas City and Lipa City in Batangas; Calamba Crossing, San Pedro, Sta. Rosa, Sta. Cruz and San Pablo in Laguna; Antipolo City in Rizal; Lucena City in Quezon; Albay and Camarines Sur in the Bicol region; Mindoro Occidental and Puerto Princesa in Palawan. In the Visayas Islands, women’s rallies were held in Cebu City, Bacolod City, Dumaguete City, and Bohol. In Mindanao, rallies were held at Davao City, in the CARAGA region, Tagum City, Kidapawan City, and Butuan City. PHOTOS BY AUBREY MAKILAN In National Capital Region, around 12,000 women belonging to different political affiliations, united under the theme, “A woman’s place is in the struggle – oust Gloria Arroyo,” marched along Ayala Ave. in Makati. PHOTOS BY AUBREY MAKILAN Women belonging to Gabriela and Gabriela Women’s Party, Forces of the Middle Class, Global Call to Action against Poverty-Philippines, OFW Family Club, Womenspeak, NCCV, Bangon Pilipinas-Women, Black & White Movement, Laban ng Masa (Masses’ Fight), Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (Force of the Philippine Masses) and many others, held a “Martsa ng Kababaihan” (Women’s March). PHOTOS BY BENJIE OLIVEROS “What is ironic in this year’s March 8 celebration is that the women’s movement is deliberately being attacked by a woman – Mrs. Gloria Arroyo,” said Emmi de Jesus, secretary general of Gabriela. In fact, said the other women speakers, in holding a nationally-coordinated street protests they’re actually defying the orders of “repressive Arroyo regime”. Indeed, as the women’s program in Makati went on, numerous shield and stick-wielding policemen positioned themselves at various intersections around Ayala, warning the women against extending their program and beating their shields from time to time. PHOTOS BY AUBREY MAKILAN Emmi de Jesus cited the plight of Gabriela Women’s Party (GWP) Rep. Liza Maza, who for the first time in her involvement in the women’s movement since 1987 cannot join any of the women’s day activities because of an impending arrest. Rep. Maza and five other progressive party-list representatives are charged with rebellion. They’re currently under protective custody of the House of Representatives. Also included in the government’s wanted list is GWP founding vice-chairperson and former Gabriela International relations officer Elisa Tita Lubi. PHOTOS BY BENJIE OLIVEROS Women’s groups disclosed that women have found no support from Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a woman president. According to them, Arroyo’s 10-point development agenda doesn’t mention any gender concern. Arroyo, said women’s groups, has denied official support for full reproductive health and family planning services, thus putting at risk women’s health and lives. They lamented that the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women that is mandated to ensure gender responsive policies has one of the smallest budgets in the bureaucracy. Also, they said that despite the 25^th year of the celebration of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women or CEDAW, to which the Philippine Government is a signatory, the fundamental rights of women remain a pipedream to millions of women who are daughters, wives, mothers to millions of households. The women’s groups also demanded “that the Arroyo administration be held accountable for abetting feminization of migration and poverty.” They claimed that under Arroyo’s watch, “women have become more vulnerable to disasters, natural or human-made, as experienced by those in the Ultra tragedy and Southern Leyte mudslide.” But according to the women’s group, “Gloria is tragedy herself” because of the policies she imposes on the people. The women’s groups concluded with a demand for Arroyo to step down. Bulatlat PHOTO BY AUBREY MAKILAN BACK TO TOP ■ PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION ■ COMMENT © 2006 Bulatlat ■ Alipato Publications Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.