International women's day Parade, free health services mark Cebu celebration

CEBU, Philippines - More than 1,000 participants from various women’s organizations in Cebu City, government offices and the private sector yesterday joined the parade to mark the celebration of 2012 National Women’s Month and International Women’s Day.

Camila Santina of the Cebu City Women’s Welfare and Family Affairs said the parade also serves as the kick-off activity for the Women’s Month which aims to recognize and give importance to women and their rights as human beings.

The parade started at 6:30 a.m. at the vicinity of the Department of Health (DOH) 7 compound and ended up at the Plaza Sugbo.

Santina said the United Nations designated March 8 as International Women’s Day and the day has since become the highlight of women-related events and activities worldwide.

It was then President Corazon C. Aquino who issued Proclamation No. 224 declaring the first week of March of every year as “Women’s Week” and March 8, 1988 and every year thereafter as “Women’s Rights and International Peace Day.”

With the theme, “Women Weathering Climate Change: Governance and Accountability, Everyone’s Responsibility,” Santina said wellness and healthcare services were provided for the first 100 women on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Free screening tests on cholesterol level, anemia, bone density, kidney stone and ultrasound were provided courtesy of a private pharmacy,” Santina said.

 The Cebu City Health Department also provided triglyceride level tests, pneumonia examinations and free OB-gynecology consultations.

Information and education materials on family planning and reproductive health were given to raise awareness on the importance of promoting health among women for optimum health care.

 Santina said the Perpetual Succour Hospital has also committed to provide discounts for laboratory exams for the whole month of March to women as their support to the celebration.

 “The hospital will be giving 20 percent discounts on mammogram screenings, x-ray, CT scan and MRI tests and 10 percent on room and board to women 18 years old and above,” Santina added.

 Exempted from the discount however, are senior citizens that already have existing 20 percent discounts based on the law and GSIS members as well.

 Santina said the activities of Women’s Month in Cebu is a partnership between the public and private sector with the aim of empowering women of their rights in all aspects of life may it be economic, political, and social.

But as the world celebrated International Women’s Day yesterday, Freedom from Debt Coalition-Cebu urged President Benigno Aquino III to honor the government’s “social debt,” especially to Filipino women who now carry heavier burdens due to the deficiencies of past and present administrations.

FDC Cebu Women’s Committee President Corazon Lim said that past and present administrations have prioritized debt servicing over the provision of social services, particularly health, education and housing which resulted in high maternal mortality, children not completing education, increasing number of street dwellers, and a wide gap between rich and poor.

“In honoring the financial debt of the country, the government has created a new, less visible debt: a debt to the people. We call this ‘Social Debt’ – debt to the poor, to the jobless, to the youth, to all marginalized sectors, especially women. Every peso paid to service the country’s debt adds to Social Debt,” said FDC-Cebu vice president Auxilium Toling-Olayer.

According to FDC, women have, for the longest time, taken on the responsibility of the health, well-being and development of their families as they provide for food on the table, health care services, ensuring roof over the heads of their families and education for their children.  —(FREEMAN)