ZONTA Club Cebu II gears up to speak out for women’s rights with a louder voice and greater visibility as it starts the term of the new officers for the biennium 2018-2020.
Led by President Marilou Cañizares, officers and members gathered for a strategic planning workshop on May 26 at the Betania Retreat House on Nivel Hills, Lahug, Cebu City.
Declaring serious intent to become more responsive and relevant to the cry of the times, Zonta Club Cebu II outlined key result areas to push its advocacy.
Based on data provided by resource person Tess Fernandez, executive director of Lihok Filipina in Central Visayas , “the Province has a population of 2,939,982 (2015 survey), with sex ratio of 102 male to 100 female in its 1,203 barangays within its #HUCs, six component cities, and 44 municipalities in several islands.” “It is the first time that men are beginning to outnumber women.”
However, Fernandez cited a dearth of data from various government agencies.
Realizing this, Zonta said it will monitor its own numbers and keep track of its performance in quantitative and qualitative terms.
With 36 years behind it, the club has launched successful projects known in at least 80 barangays of Cebu City, such as “Dangoyngoy sa Kahilum,” and recently in Mandaue City, “Abay sa Kahayag.”
Under the project, Violence against Women and Children desks and gender and development focal personnel were provided assistance through seminars, counseling and training in handling cases of women and children who are victims of violence.
Efforts are now being undertaken to forge a partnership with the City of Mandaue and Mayor Luigi Quisumbing to put up a Pink Center in Mandaue City Hospital.
It is an innovative approach to a one-stop center to take care of police, legal, medical services and provide a temporary shelter for victim-survivors who are often at a loss how to move on.
Another project designed to train mothers of kindergarten children to participate in a reading literacy program in three public schools was launched five years ago.
Called Alimbukad, in partnership with the Department of Education, it was piloted in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City, and expanded to Barangay Poo in Olango Island and in Barangay Luyang in San Remigio town.
This year, the club will set up the program in Cabangcalan, Mandaue where teachers have trained recently for the program.
All participants will be provided with a bag of books, which is loaned out weekly and replaced with a new set of books after the bag is returned through the teachers.
A supplemental program is also held in Cebu City Public Library with reading and storytelling sessions in an area, which was put up by Zonta Club Cebu II with books, a smart TV, table and chairs designed for children.