Women for Leni Robredo movement/ Evelyn del Rosario’s bash

Last Dec. 13, 13,500 women grassroots leaders attended the formal press launch of the Women for Leni Movement, otherwise called the Lakas ng Kababaihan Para Kay Leni. The mammoth event was followed by large gatherings of women in Albay, and in the works are large ones in Albay, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro City, Pasay, Makati, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Bukidnon, Ilocos Sur, Cotabato and Bulacan. Being organized are meetings with women all over the country.

Support for the vice presidential bid of Leni Robredo has been coming from women’s organizations, from the urban and rural poor people’s organizations, to social enterprise and microfinance groups. The movement, according to lead convenor Joy Belmonte Alimurung, is “a multisectoral group from all over the country that shares one goal – to elect a woman vice presidential candidate that espouses their vision and goals for our country.”

“There has been no historically proven record of a women’s vote in previous elections,” says Joy, who is currently vice mayor of Quezon City. “However, this election will be different. With the passage of so many laws pertaining to women in recent years that still need better implementation, and with the strong gender sensitivity training women in the grassroots, we strongly believe that women will now be more capacitated and conscious about how to vote for, and I think it is highly likely they will rally behind the only woman vice presidential candidate, not just because she is a woman but because she understands women’s issues by heart as a result of her personal experiences as a public servant, and because of her genuine and sincere desire to address these issues as part of her platform of government.”

“Roughly 50 percent of our population is comprised of women. If we do not harness the potentials of our women,” says Joy, “we are losing out on much possible growth, progress and development. So, I do believe women, if given the opportunity, can help in the transformation of society.”

Women’s economic empowerment is at the core of Leni’s public service record and platform. She is the only candidate with a solid track record of working with and for the poor. Her years spent as an alternative lawyer speaks of her genuine concern for the marginalized sectors, most especially women and children, says Joy.

Leni, a UP law graduate, worked with the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) between 1997-1998, where she was assigned to cases involving accused parties who were too impoverished and unfamiliar with the justice system to mount a defense. There she developed a clear sense of social justice, and commitment to equality in the eyes of the law.

She helped her husban, in developing the governance innovations that made Naga a multi-awarded city government. They championed bringing down the poverty incidence from 25 percent in the 1990s to 19 percent by 2003; raised local revenues by 573 percent, and transformed Naga from third class to first class city.

Leni was catapulted to national attention when her husband, then Department of Interior and Local Government head, passed away in 2012. Heeding popular demand, she agreed to run, and was voted, representative of the Third District of Camarines Sur in the 2013 congressional election.

In Congress, as in her vice presidential quest, her platform focuses on three major areas: women’s economic empowerment, rural development, and alleviation of hunger and poverty. However, says Joy, the means to achieve these ends is always rooted on her philosophy of extensive people participation and good governance.

These concerns are reflected in her performance in Congress. She authored the Full Disclosure Policy Bill (HB 19), Participatory Budget Process Bill ( HB 2905), the Freedom of Information Bill (3237) and the People Empowerment Bill (HB 4911). She also authored the People Empowerment Bill which seeks to allow more participation from Filipinos in decision and policy-making. She wrote the Participatory Budget Process Bill to increase participation in budgetrelated decisions in government projects by locals.

She sponsored the Freedom of Information Bill, and the Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act and Full Disclosure Policy Bill which proposes to mandate all government agencies and their sub-units and projects to disclose in a conspicuous manner their budget and financial transactions “without any requests from the public.”

She has expressed concern on allegations of corruption in agrarian reform and co-authored House Bill 5841, which will create an Agrarian Reform Commission that will focus on investigating violations against the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

She co-authored the Anti-Dynasty Bill.

Working with Joy in the Leni for vice president movement are well-known women personalities Reese FernandezRuiz, Rags to Riches CEO and founder; Jeannie Javelosa, social entrepreneur and businesswoman; Alice Murphy, urban poor sector leader; Congresswoman Sitti Hataman, Bangsamoro woman leader; Bea Binene, GMA 7 artist, Vicky Garchitorena, and Lea Salonga.

* * * On another front, if Evelyn Mamauag del Rosario were running for an elective post, she would win hands down. As head of PLDT’s corporate affairs, she is probably the most well-known company officer next to MVP. She’s gone to many places in the country, helping launch corporate social responsibility projects such as increasing high school

students and teachers’ digital skills, giving women livelihood opportunities, improving fishermen’s welfare, crowning local beauty queens and gracing basketball opening tournaments. She has a winsome personality, liked by people from all social classes. She’s such a company asset, MVP asked her to stay with him, after she reached retirement age last year.

Evelyn’s one big personal capriccio is celebrating her birthday with flair. Last year she spent lots on her 65th birthday bash, had three changes of gowns at a party themed “Sound of Music.” Two weeks ago, she had every guest don Hawaiian outfits, sing and dance with abandon to the beat of “Pearly Shells,” so that most everyone at the entertainment hall of Canyon Cove and Spa in Nasugbu, Batangas, let their hair down to join in the fun and games.

Spiritual personages had the time of their lives. Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal of Cebu, celebrated mass, assisted by Msgr. Jerome Reyes of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish church in Tayuman, Manila, and Rev. Fr. Joey Irlandes of Our Lady of Hope Parish, Quezon City. Arch. Diosdado A. Talamayan, of Tuguegarao, could not stop singing carols.

Evelyn’s mother, Asuncion Mamauag, sat quietly at a corner listening to three of her children rendering tributes to their sister: Dr. Marie Jane, who flew in from Singapore, and Merc sing love songs. And the nuns, bless them, led by Mo. Lilia Galinero, OP, merrily sang Christmas songs, from Las Vegas, and brother Rex, who gave the most loving message I’ve heard, about his manang Evelyn. Names of guests are too many for my small space. But mention must be made of Evelyn’s former boss at PLDT, lawyer Enrique “Spanky” Perez and his wife Dolly; the beautiful dancing couple Mike and Cristina Bichara; Connie Tacorda ( judged best Hawaiian dressed); Diana Chanco (judged best hula dancer); former director Betty Lou Peñera (astonishingly lovely in her floral dress), and Ems Libunan of Philippine Information Agency; Sylvia Ordonez of the Kapampangan Development Foundation, and, among Evelyn’s best friends from the University of Santo Tomas, Violeta Lotuaco, who flew in from Maryland for the celebration.

To Evelyn, our wishes for many more joyous birthday celebrations.