President appointed 2 women from Cebu to sit in national anti-poverty body

Sunday, January 29, 2012

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has chosen two Cebuanas to be part of a national commission.

Teresa Fernandez, a known advocate of women's rights, and Linda Paracuelles, an urban poor leader, were appointed to the National Anti-Poverty Commission.

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Aquino appointed Fernandez commissioner, representing the women's sector. Paracuelles was appointed as sectoral representative for urban poor affairs.

Fernandez is the executive director of Lihok Filipina Foundation and former chairperson of the Cebu City Commission for the Women and Family Affairs Commission.
She is also the wife of former city administrator Francisco Fernandez, president of the Pagtambayayong Foundation Inc.

Paracuelles, on the other hand, is the president of the Alliance of Barangay Apas Community Associations, the umbrella organization of the different homeowners’ associations in Apas.

Resolutions

Most of the homeowners’ associations are covered by Provincial Ordinance 93-1.

Proud of having two Cebuanas in a national commission, the Cebu City Council, in mass motion, adopted separate resolutions commending Fernandez and Paracuelles.

The National Anti-Poverty Commission was formed to strengthen the National Government’s programs for the poor and the marginalized sectors of society.

Created through Republic Act 8425, the commission is composed of representatives from 14 sectors: farmers and landless rural workers, fisherfolk, urban poor, indigenous people and cultural communities, workers in formal labor and migrant workers, workers in the informal sector, women, children, youth and students, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, victims of disasters and calamities, non-governmental organizations and cooperatives.

Each sector has its own council with 24 members. The head of each council sits in the commission.