GIRL POWER. First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and female Cabinet officials including Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte, Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Loyzaga, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Health Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire, and Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco appear in President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s social media post recognizing women on International Women's Day. (Photo courtesy of Bongbong Marcos' Facebook page and Twitter account)
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday took to social media to share a post recognizing women across the country for their achievements highlighted by women empowerment in his administration.
“Saludo tayo sa ating mga kababaihan na patuloy na nagpapakita ng tapang at determinasyon sa kanilang tahanan, trabaho, at komunidad (We salute women who continue to show courage and determination in their home, work, and community),” he said in posts on Facebook and Twitter.
“Happy International Women’s Day!” his post added which was accompanied by photos of his wife, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and female Cabinet officials including Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte, Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil. Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Loyzaga, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Health Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire, and Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco.
International Women's Day is celebrated every March 8 to recognize women for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic, or political, according to the United Nations (UN).
The first recorded celebration of International Women’s Day was in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland when over a million people rallied to support women’s rights.
The Philippines observes National Women’s Day every March 8 through Republic Act No. 6949.
Proclamation 224 also declared March 8 as “Women’s Rights and International Peace Day” and the first week of March as Women’s Week while Proclamation 227 declared March as “Women’s Role in History Month.”
This year’s National Women’s Day celebration goes by a recurring theme from this year to 2028 namely “WE for gender equality and inclusive society”, according to the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) website.
“WE” stands for Women and Everyone and Women’s Empowerment.
The recurring theme aligns with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, which aims for “deep economic and social transformation to reinvigorate job creation and accelerate poverty reduction by steering the economy back on a high-growth path.”
It also highlights that growth must be inclusive, building an environment that provides equal opportunities to all Filipinos and equipping them with skills to participate fully in an innovative and globally competitive economy. (PNA)
