No to teenage pregnancy

The Zonta Club 1 celebrates its 50th year by intensifying its program against Violence Against Women (VAW) and Teenage Pregnancy, a concern which the Zonta International is tackling. Community and school researches reveal cases of a growing number of girls, in some cases even as young as nine years old, who have been victims of early sex and pregnancy resulting from broken homes, drugs, free sex, easy access to entertainment hubs, insufficient sex education and lack of values formation, among others.

The Zontians are working with the schools, families, barangays and the multisectoral groups to expand awareness of the problem and adopt proactive activities.

The Golden November 2018 activities of Zonta Club Cebu 1 on “Teenage Pregnancy” are as follows: Oct. 29: “Straight From the Sky” at MyTV with Bobit Avila; Nov. 6: 888 Forum at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu; Nov. 8: Thanksgiving Mass, 9 a.m. at St. Therese Parish and Opening Salvo with interactive insights on teenage pregnancy at 1:30 p.m. at Ayala Center Cebu’s Activity Center; Nov. 14: Health forum with Sweet Alert; Nov. 27: Start of the 16 days of activism: Play with symposium at Cebu Normal University; and Dec. 12: Epilogue of the 16 days of activism: Talent, entertainment and livelihood display at the University of San Jose-Recoletos Mass Communication adopted barangay in Kamagayan, Cebu City.

Since June, the Education Team has been conducting seminars on values, leadership seminars to empower young women, events on enhancing reading skills and expanding membership of the Z Club at Benedicto College.

The PR Information and Linkages team also crafted a Zonta icon— Ms. Zonya, the empowered teacher, mother and young female citizen, released value-oriented comics and posters with expansive tri-media and social networking; and events with story telling and success stories which have been going on since July with the academe.

The long-term programs of Zonta 1 cover biennium 2018 to 2020.

MS. ZONYA COMICS. Ms. Zonya is an icon of the empowered teacher, mother and citizen: The University of San Jose-Recoletos PhD, Literature students from the Visayas and Mindanao crafted the first comics series tackling teenage pregnancy. More schools to follow. (A Zonta 1 PR-Linkage Awareness and Proactive project in values, theater, livelihood, entertainment) chaired by Zontian MCE.

TEATRO SA KAMAGAYAN. This is the University of San Jose-Recoletos Mass Communication department’s proactive project on wholesome entertainment for the youth to be informed about teenage pregnancy. This is coordinated by Dean Glenn Pajares, Dr. Nestor Ramirez and the USJ-R Dramatics and Cultural Ensemble Lhuillier / We Care scholars.

INSTALLATION OF ZONTA CLUB. Primary project: Young Women Leadership. Partner: Benedicto College. Coordinated by Zontians Emily Benedicto, Rufina Tanchan and Matt Baguia.

CAUSE. Adopt-A-School at Tulay National High School on value formation, and leadership seminars for young women; reading and skills programs. These are coordinated by Zontians Matt Baguia and Rufina Tanchan.

PLANNING SESSION. Play with symposium on teenage pregnancy at Cebu Normal University, coordinated by the Advocacy Team, led by Zontians Tess Chan and Nellie Chiu.

LEGACY. From founder and charter president Dr. Zuga Yuvienco (1968-1973) to Biennium 20182020 president, daughter Minnie Yuvienco.