Creation of a women’s council pushed

Cebu City Councilor Rey Gealon has proposed an ordinance creating the Cebu City Council of Women (CCCW).

The proposed measure was referred to the Committee on Laws, Ordinances, and Styling, as well as the Committee on Women, LGBTQ, and Family Affairs for review.

“Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular No. 2001-163 encourages LGUs (local government units) to create Local Councils of Women (LCW)… The City of Cebu is in time with the objectives of the DILG to promote women empowerment, social justice and power alteration of marginalized women through democratic participation,” read the proposed ordinance.

The CCCW shall be composed of women's organizations existing in the locality and is duly accredited by the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

The membership to the council must show capability and commitment to implement women's agenda, duties and responsibilities; have continuous operations for at least one year; have established organizations with operational structures and have a membership of at least 20, among others.

The CCWC shall have nine Board of Trustees (BOT)— seven from nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and professional groups; one representative from the local government; and one representative from the National Council of Women of the Philippines (NCWP) or its affiliates until such time that there is an organized NCWP in the locality.

The BOT shall then elect from among themselves the positions of chairperson; vicechairperson; secretary; assistant secretary; treasurer; assistant treasurer; auditor; and public relations officer.

Other officers may be created if necessary. However, the LGU representative cannot be elected chairperson.

The CCCW shall define their respective advocacy agenda which shall incorporate their local priorities that should be in accord with national and international women's agenda such as the implementation of national and international instruments such as the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA), the Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development (PPGD), and the Framework Plan for Women among their networks.

In addition, it shall support the implementation of the Framework Plan for Women by collaborating with the government agencies and/ or GAD Focal Points for the implementation of GADrelated programs, projects and activities and developing and implementing projects that address gender issues and women's concerns; undertake activities and projects such as livelihood, microenterprise, social services and training and skills development, with the framework of GAD particularly the Framework Plan for Women, independently or in partnership with existing Local Councils and other government agencies; and establish linkage with business sectors, government organizations and non-government institutions to enable women's access to resources, information and technology, in order to pursue its projects more effectively, to name a few.

Government agencies such as the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), City Health Office (CHO), City Planning and Development office (CPDO), Human Resource Management Office (HRMO), among others, may be called upon to give assistance during the meetings of the CCCW upon the request of its members.

The regular meeting of the CCCW shall be held every month at a duly designated venue. Every council member present during the said meeting shall receive P3,000 as honoraria subject to the availability of funds.

Once approved, funds shall be allocated for the creation, operation, maintenance of the CCCW for each calendar year.

The source of funds will be coming from Gender and Development (GAD) with an allocation of P50,000 and annual membership from the group organization worth P500. —