The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) is stitching together a nationwide project called “Threads of Empowerment”, which encourages Filipino women in various regions to create quilt pieces that represent gender issues in their communities.
In a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview on Friday, PCW Officer-in-Charge Executive Director Nharleen Santos-Millar said the project aims to weave a collective narrative of women’s experiences, struggles, and triumphs, culminating in a national quilt to be unveiled next year.
“Nag-start po kami… noong kick-off at ito po ay pupunta sa lahat ng rehiyon sa Pilipinas, so ini-encourage natin iyong mga kababaihan, lalo na iyong weavers ‘no… na gumawa ng quilt that represents the region, ano ba iyong isyu ng kababaihan sa rehiyon. And then, bubuuin natin iyon, siguro ilalabas namin iyan next year at ito na iyong buong quilt ng ‘Threads of Empowerment’ (We started during the kickoff, and we will travel to all regions in the Philippines. We are encouraging women, especially weavers, to create a quilt piece that represents the issues faced by women in their region. We will then assemble these pieces, and by next year, we will unveil the complete Threads of Empowerment quilt),” Santos-Millar said.
The initiative not only showcases women’s artistry but also serves as a platform for raising awareness about gender-based challenges and inequalities.
Alongside “Threads of Empowerment”, Santos-Millar said PCW is also pushing for institutional change through the Gender and Development Transformation and Institutionalization through Mainstreaming of Programs, Agenda, Linkages, and Advocacies (GADtimpala) awards.
This recognition program honors institutions that excel in gender mainstreaming, with this year’s focus on state universities and colleges (SUCs).
“Iyong SUCs ang focus natin this year, pero hindi lang ito limited sa kanila. Sa susunod, palalawakin natin para mas maraming sektor ang ma-recognize sa kanilang kontribusyon sa gender mainstreaming.” (This year, we are focusing on SUCs, but the awards are not limited to them. In the future, we will expand the scope so more sectors can be recognized for their contributions to gender mainstreaming),” she said.
The commission, she said, is also pushing for economic empowerment, as women’s labor force participation remains at 51 percent, compared to 75 percent for men.
“Women do approximately 18 hours of work per day, compared to 13 hours for men. So ibig sabihin, kahit nagtatrabaho tayo, pagdating sa bahay still we work (Women do approximately 18 hours of work per day, compared to 13 hours for men. This means that even if we are employed, we still work when we get home),” she said.
Beyond Women’s Month, PCW continues to provide technical assistance to government agencies, offering training and webinars on gender analysis and development planning.
Santos-Millar urged women to stay informed and actively demand the implementation of their rights. (PNA)
