Women’s group joins NTF-ELCAC drive vs Reds

MANILA, Philippines — Members of a newly formed women’s group, Magdalena Mission: Alagang Ate, announced on Monday that they want to help women keep their families intact as communist groups try to destroy the most basic unit of society.

The group made the announcement during the weekly press conference of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

The group is composed of celebrities, beauty queens, educators and other empowered women, formed during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect human rights and advance women’s welfare.

Pia Morato, a journalist, educator and one of the convenors, said they aim to help shape the future of the younger generation.

“We have under attack the most basic unit in our society which is the family. Let’s face it. That is what insurgents often hit, the most basic unit. You destroy that, you destroy society,” Morato said.

She added everyone is vulnerable.

“We have to be courageous to keep families intact. And the educational system must work hand in hand with families,” she said.

Morato said teachers should be partners of families as education is the greatest equalizer. She said educators must protect schools, the battlefield where recruitments and attacks happen.

“Learning must continue because this is for the next generation and the development of our society,” she said.

Beauty queen and volleyball player Michele Gumabao, another convenor, said their group will look into the plight of women involved in prostitution.

More often than not, she said they did not choose the life they have.

”Magdalena Mission: Alagang Ate partners not only with the police but we support our government and the NTF-ELCAC para po matugunan talaga lahat ng mga problema ng ating mga kababaihan na hindi po sila maimpluwensiyahan ng mga iba’t ibang organisasyon, na hindi po sila ma-brainwash ng iba’t ibang mga tao at hindi po sila mati-take advantage (to be able to address the problems of women so that they will not be influenced by different organizations, they would not be brainwashed, and they would not be taken advantage of),” Gumabao said.