Women’s Month Celebration of FOV
Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women.
March is declared as Women’s Month Celebration in accordance with Proclamation Numbers. 224 and 227 Series 1988. The annual conduct of the National Women’s Month Celebration aims to give due recognition to the contributions of Filipino women in our society.
As one of the agencies that strongly upholds women’s welfare and empowerment, DSWD Bicol joins the nation in celebrating the 2021 Women’s Month with the Theme – Juana Laban sa Pandemya: Kaya!
For this year, the month-long celebration focuses on recognizing women’s important roles at home and in the communities especially during this time of Covid-19 pandemic.The theme highlights the empowerment of women as active contributors to and claimholders of development. It also highlights women participation in battling the pandemic, discusses gender issues that emerged or become more felt during the health crisis, and share support systems and government programs that address women’s issues and concerns.
In support to the celebration, the DSWD, under its banner of “Malasakit at Pagbabago” continues to demonstrate its role in eliminating discrimination against women by recognizing, protecting, fulfilling and promoting the rights of the Filipino women and girls, and with disabilities in compliance to the Magna Carta of Women enunciated under Republic Act No. 9710. This is to ensure that the programs and services provided to the vulnerable sectors caters to protection from all forms of violence including women against gender-based violence.
In joining the observance of this celebration, the DSWD Field Office V has initiated activities promoting women and girls’ rights and opposing threats to their welfare in line with the 2021 National Women’s Month Celebration through the use of social media platforms and other venues in view of the social distancing measures as follows:
Posting of advocacy material such as the official banner for the 2021 National Women’s Month Celebration within the premise of DSWD Field Office and the department’s Facebook page;
Sharing of the advocacy material for the 2021 Women’s Month Celebration with the LGUs via online
Observance of Purple Mondays by wearing anything purple on all Mondays of March 2021 to signify support for women’s empowerment and gender equality;
DZGB Radio interview on the “2021 National Women’s Month Celebration”, which highlights the theme and importance of the celebration;
DZGB Radio interview on “Solo Parenting of Women”, tagging the programs and services of the government that can be availed by single mothers
Idol FM Radio program in line with the celebration of “2021 National Women’s Month Celebration” and discussion of topic on “Unpaid Care Work of Women in the Household and Community”;
Podcast series that include discussion of Teenage Pregnancy, Reproductive Health Bill, and Internet safety for women and children;
Provision of Hygiene Kits and distribution of IEC materials to AICS women clients as the Culminating Activity for the “2021 National Women’s Month Celebration”.
Facts about women
Women comprises 52.8 million of the total population in the country.
Women sector is among the 9 basic sectors along with farmers, fishermen, children, self-employed and unpaid family workers, belonging to poor families, which have higher poverty incidence than the general population estimated at 21. 6%. (Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, March 2018)
Regional Data
There are 1,287,337 women aged 18 to 59 in Bicol Region.
Out of the 1,287,337 total number of women, there are 458,499 women who are considered poor.
(Source: DSWD Field Office V – Listahanan or the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) Assessment, December 31, 2017)
FOV Programs, Projects, and Services for Women
Promotive Social Welfare Program
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is a social protection program that invests in the health and education of children 0-18 years old from eligible poor households. It provides cash grants (Education = Elementary – P300 and High school – P500; FDS and Health = P500; Rice Subsidy = P600 per Month) to the household beneficiaries in exchange to their compliance to conditions anchored on health and education.
The program helps the Philippine government fulfill its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — specifically in eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, in achieving universal primary education, in promoting gender equality, in reducing child mortality, and in improving maternal health care.
For CY 2020, there were 303,547 women out of 344,389 Pantawid households provided with conditional cash grants through Regular Conditional Cash Transfer (RCCT) in the amount of Php 7,058,438,950.00 while a total of 4,309 women out of 4,989 Pantawid households provided with conditional cash grants through Modified Conditional Cash Transfer (MCCT) in the amount of Php 83,821,090.91.
The Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) is a community-based capacity building program adopting the resource-based and market-driven community micro-enterprise or explore employment opportunities. It operates through the following tracks: (1) Microenterprise Development; and (2) Employment Facilitation.
The program provides livelihood assistance or interventions that aim to help uplift the socioeconomic status of the households.
For CY 2020, a total of 773 women out of 835 SLP households assisted through the microenterprise development in the amount of Php 10,667,590.00.
KALAHI-CIDSS – National Community Driven Development Program (KC-NCDDP) is one of the poverty alleviation programs of the Philippine government. It uses the community-driven development (CDD) approach, a globally recognized strategy for achieving service delivery, poverty reduction, and good governance outcomes.
The program aimed at empowering local communities in poor and disaster-affected municipalities for an improved access to SWD services, and enabling them to participate in more inclusive local planning, budgeting, implementation and disaster risk reduction and management.
The main platform of KC-NCDDP is the Community Empowerment Activity Cycle (CEAC), which is based on unique operational timelines and reflected in the targeting of physical and financial accomplishment for the program. Along CEAC, KC-NCDDP provides assistance by enhancing Local Government Unit (LGU) and community capacity by granting seed fund for priority social infrastructure sub-projects of communities that help reduce poverty and improve sustainability.
For CY 2020, there were 2,840 women out of 7,330 community participants with paid labor during the Sub-Project Implementation (SPI) in the amount of Php 21,623,363.69.00.
Protective Social Welfare Program
HAVEN for Women and Girls is a 24-hour residential institution that provides protection, care, treatment and rehabilitation to abused and exploited girls ages 7-17 years old and provides temporary shelter and protective custody to women ages 18-59 years old who are victims of involuntary or forced prostitution, illegal recruitment, battered/abused women, victims of sexual abuse, women in detention, women victims of armed conflict and others.
The residential facility provides Social Services, Group Living Services, Group Treatment Approaches, Educational Services, Health Services and Psychological Services.
For CY 2020, a total of 34 women were served in the amount of Php 5,917,931.81.
Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) provides a range of interventions to individuals, families, and communities in crisis or difficult situations and vulnerable or disaster-affected communities.
The types of assistance under AICS are: (1) Transportation Assistance; (2) Medical Assistance; (3) Burial Assistance; (4) Educational Assistance; (5) Cash Assistance; and (6) Food Assistance.
For CY 2020, a total of 28,581 women out of 41,244 clients provided with services and assistance under AICS in the amount of Php 154,023,400.00 with the following breakdown:
10,306 women availed of medical assistance in the amount of Php 84,946,400.00
3,655 women were given burial assistance in the amount of Php 27,337,800.00
11,440 women received educational assistance in the amount of Php 28,026,000.00
52 women provided with transportation assistance in the amount of Php 236,500.00
3,057 women were given cash assistance in the amount of Php 13,327,500.00
71 women provided with food assistance in the amount of Php 149,200.00
Community-Based Services include provision of technical assistance to LSWDOs handling cases of women and children. However, on some cases considered as high profile cases, DSWD Community-Based Social Workers directly handle the case.
Women in Especially Difficult Circumstances (WEDC) are also being served. This includes women 18-59 years of age who are disadvantaged or marginalized, victims of illegal recruitment, involuntary prostitution, armed conflict, battering and abuse, as well as women in detention.
Other direct services provided to clients includes counselling services; referral for legal, medical, and psychological assistance; financial or livelihood assistance, assistance to clients in serving BPO, TPO, and, if necessary, filing of appropriate charges.
For CY 2020, a total of 44 women in especially difficult circumstance (WEDC) served.
Recovery and Integration Program for Trafficked Persons (RRPTP) is a comprehensive program that ensures adequate recovery and reintegration services provided to trafficked persons. It is implemented in coordination with other concerned agencies such as the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Services include case management; provision of direct service assistance to victims of trafficking including financial assistance on livelihood, medical, transportation, educational, temporary shelter, psychosocial, and auxiliary services that will be given to clients with on-going cases (i.e. board and lodging, documentation, DNA testing if needed, and other incidental expenses).
For CY 2020, a total of 36 trafficked women out of 56 trafficked persons provided with social welfare services in the amount of Php 327,159.84.
Assistance to Distressed and Undocumented Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) provides integrated services such as direct financial and material assistance to distressed and undocumented Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
Services include financial assistance, medical assistance, educational assistance and psycho-social processing services.
For CY 2020, a total of 170 distressed overseas Filipino women out of 383 distressed and undocumented OFWs provided with social welfare services in the amount of Php 74,000.00.