Message on Women’s Month during the PNP La Carlota City Flag Ceremony

Message on Women’s Month

By Atty. Gerlie M. Uy

PNP La Carlota City Flag Ceremony

March 22, 2021



To our PNP Chief of Police, PLt Col. Jonel Vargas Guadalupe, and the uniformed women and men of PNP La Carlota City, Good Morning. Every year, we reserve the whole month of March to celebrate women. To appreciate this particular occasion, allow me the honor to lead you all in walking back through the history lane.

The observation of a special day for women traces its roots in different movements in the 1900s, particularly in the US where garment workers were fighting for their economic rights and fair work hours. In 1911, the first International Women’s Day was celebrated on 19 March participated by millions of men and women. However, a tragic incident led to the changing of this date. On 25 March, 1911, 140 working women died in a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory in New York City. This brought to light the unfair labor practices and inhumane working conditions that women workers face and led to several rallies.

In Europe, the Socialist Women’s International Conference recommended March 8 to be the International Women’s Day not only to commemorate the women workers in the New York fire, but also to lobby issues concerning women. Since 1913, IWD has been observed annually on 8 March. In 1975, the UN formally designated this as the day of celebration of achievements of all women around the world and propel change in terms of gender equality.

In December 1977, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a UN Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions.

In 1995, Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a historic roadmap signed by 189 governments, focused on 12 critical areas of concern: (1) women and poverty; (2) education and training of women; (3) women and health; (4) violence against women; (5) women and armed conflict; (6) women and the economy; (7) women in power and decision-making; (8) institutional mechanisms; (9) human rights of women; (10) women and media; (11) women and the environment; (12) the girl child.

In the Philippines, the following issuances serve as legal bases for the annual national campaign:

Proclamation No. 224 s. 1988 declaring the first week of March each year as Women’s Week and March 8 as Women’s Rights and International Peace Day

Proclamation No. 227 s. 1988 providing for the observance of the Month of March as Women’s Role in History Month

Republic Act (RA) 6949 s. 1990 declaring March 8 of every year as National Women’s Day.

Today, while we are walking through the more-than-a-century history of struggle for women’s rights, women at present are facing another global challenge. Thus, our National Women’s Month Theme is Juana Laban sa Pandemya: Kaya. This year’s campaign is unique because it is set in the COVID-19 pandemic backdrop, which posed both challenges and opportunities for women. I wish the women and men of PNP La Carlota City is ready and equipped to face the challenges and also create opportunities for women, both for our women in ranks and the women in the community whom we serve.

To the Ladies and Gentlemen of PNP La Carlota City, do you #ChooseToChallenge? If you take the challenge, Please raise your right hand and repeat after me the 2021 Campaign Theme:

A challenged world is an alert world.

Individually, I am responsible for my own thoughts and actions - all day, every day.

I can choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality.

I can choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements.

Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.

From challenge comes change, so let's all choose to challenge.

Sources: Philippine Commission on Women (pcw.org)

Internationalwomensday.com