ZONTA 1 past president Stella Bernabe ended her term as District 17 Area 3 director from 2018 to 2020. They were glorious and challenging years as the 11 Zonta Clubs tackled the thrusts of Zonta International to fight Violence Against Women, Child Marriages and Teenage Pregnancies and their related issues; survived the threats of Covid-19, and helped survivors and volunteers. There were lessons in empowered transformational leadership to action, communication and teamwork.

Here are some highlights of Biennium 2018 to 2020.

- All 11 Zonta Clubs of Cebu 1 and 2, Zamboanga City, Iloilo 1 and 2, Cagayan de Oro 1 and 2, Davao 1 and 2, Tacloban and Bacolod, maintained their continuing projects, specifically their advocacies and barangay services, media networking, and tie-ups with the government and socio-civic sectors. The Academe was a partner of the Z and Golden Z Clubs’ leadership and value seminars. Fund raising was actualized to sustain their projects.

- The Zonta International Fun Run was actively done in all the clubs of Area 3.

Zonta Club of Cebu 1

Through the guidance of Area 3 director Stella Bernabe, its past presidents, and the current officers and members of the board, Zonta Club of Cebu 1 garnered six major awards during the 2019 Area Meeting: Diamond-Integrated PR and Advocacy (Centennial twin celebration caravan of the 100 years of Zonta Internation and 50 Years of Zonta Club 1 at Ayala Center Cebu, with Hall of Fame past presidents and their projects); Diamond-Services (Pink Center/Crisis and Referral Center, with One-Stop Services at Barangay Kamagayan); Diamond-Advocacy (“Shout-Out” event at the University of San Jose-Recoletos, saying no to violence against women, child marriages and teenage pregnancies); Diamond-Leadership development; Gold-Education; Silver-Z Club. Other milestones were the Jose Mari Chan fundraising Golden Concert and the co-hosting of the Area Convention last Feb. 21 to 22.

The Covid-19 teams tested the agility and teamwork of the 11 Zonta Clubs of Area 3, as they raised funds to give food, medicine and personal protective equipment to frontliners and volunteers.