On March 5, 2018, a power shift at the House of Representatives is expected as women legislators temporarily take full control of the plenary in observance of the International Women’s Month.
An All-Women Session at the Plenary will be led by Bulacan 4th District Representative Deputy Speaker Linabelle Ruth R. Villarica acting as the Speaker. She is the president of the 86-strong Association of Women Legislators Foundation Inc., a non-profit, non-partisan organization composed of all lady solons at the House of Representatives.
The other presiding officers in the All-Women Session are Reps. Bernadette Herrera-Dy (Bagong Henerasyon Party-list); Corazon Nuñez-Malanyaon (1st District, Davao Oriental); Jocelyn Sy-Limkaichong (1st District, Negros Oriental); and Imelda Calixto-Rubiano (Lone District, Pasay).
Rep. Maria Carmen S. Zamora (1st District, Compostela Valley) will be the Majority Leader with Reps. Lucille L. Nava (Lone District, Guimaras), Cristal L. Bagatsing (5th District, Manila) and Ma. Lourdes Acosta-Alba (1st District, Bukidnon) as Deputy Majority Leaders.
Reps. Anna Marie Villaraza-Suarez (Alona Party-list) and Abigail Ferriol-Pascual will serve as Minority Leader and Deputy Minority Leader, respectively.
One of the measures that will be discussed on the floor is House Bill No. 4113, otherwise known as the 100-Day Maternity Leave Bill, which seeks to grant 100-day maternity leave with 30-day unpaid extension for working pregnant women in public and private sectors.
Scheduled to deliver privilege speeches on various issues and concerns relating to women are Reps. Elisa Olga T. Kho (2nd District, Masbate); Ruby M. Sahali (Lone District, Tawi-Tawi); Trisha Nicole Q. Velasco-Catera (Mata Partylist); Anna Katrina M. Enverga (1st District, Quezon); Vini Nola A. Ortega (Abono Party-list); Jennifer Austria Barzaga (4th District, Cavite); Marlyn B. Alonte-Naguiat (Lone District, Biñan); and Emmi A. de Jesus (Gabriela Party-list).
The All-Women Session is jointly sponsored by the AWLFI and the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality chaired by Rep. Herrera-Dy. As part of the women’s month celebration, they are also sponsoring other activities in partnership with the Gabriela and Bagong Henerasyon Party-lists, Philippine Commission on Women, National Council on Disability Affairs and Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development, such as among others, women’s day exhibit, forums on women empowerment, round table discussion on child, early and forced marriages, seminar on livelihood training and beauty and health services.
“This year’s celebration of women’s month, themed as ‘We Make Change Work for Women’, highlights the empowerment of women as active contributors to our country’s development”, Deputy Villarica says.
“In our various capacities, whether as government officials and employees or private individuals, we can work as one, imbued with a vision and a goal to work for the betterment of our country,” she added.
Under her leadership, the AWLFI scores high on fundraising drives for various projects and services that address women and children’s needs. Among their beneficiaries include the Mega Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Nueva Ecija, families of our fallen government troops in the Marawi siege, Philippine Tuberculosis Society, Inc., Philippine Breast Care Foundation Inc. and Philippine General Hospital Pediatric Cancer unit.
The AWLFI officers are : president, Deputy Speaker Linabelle Ruth Villarica; senior vice president, Rose Marie Arenas; VP for NCR, Rep. Imelda Calixto-Rubiano; VP for Luzon, Rep. Elisa Olga Kho; VP for Visayas, Deputy Speaker Gwendolyn Garcia; VP for Mindanao, Rep. Juliette Uy; VP for Partylist, Rep. Emmi de Jesus; secretary, Bernadette Herrera-Dy; assistant secretary, Rep. Cheryl Deloso-Montalla; treasurer, Rep. Evelina Escudero; assistant treasurer, Rep. Lorna Silverio; Auditor, Rep. Josephine Sato; assistant auditor, Rep. Rosanna Vergara; PRO, Reps. Sol Aragones, Geraldine Roman and Cristina Roa-Puno; Business Manager, Rep. Florida Robes; neophyte representative, Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez; muse, Rep. Estrellita Suansing; and board of advisers, Deputy Speakers Pia Cayetano, Mercedes Alvarez, Mylene Garcia-Albano and Bai Sandra Sema, Reps. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Imelda Marcos, Corazon Malanyaon, Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, Vilma Santos-Recto, Maria Carmen Zamora and Ana Cristina Go. Former Rep. and AWLFI immediate past president Gina de Venecia is chairman emeritus.