Soroptimists to help women and girls
In May 1966, 52- year- old Mariquita Castelo’s dream of empowering women in the country was realized with the chartering of the Soroptimist Club of Greater Manila ( now known as Soroptimist Club of Founder Manila).
The dream had been hatched two years earlier, in 1964, when Mariquita was a graduate student in social work in the University of California. That was when she met Betty Beck Browser, president of Soroptimist Federation of the Americas. She had finished her work as administrator and national executive director of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, but she wanted to open new dimensions of service and stronger empowerment of women in the Philippines. Her meeting Betty provided the answer to her search. Through her efforts, on May 5, 1966 the Soroptimist Club of Greater Manila came into being.
Soroptimist Club of Greater Manila later became Soroptimist International of Founder Manila, and today it is called Soroptimist International of the Philippines Region ( A Foundation), Inc. ( SIPR) as a member of Soroptimist International ( SI). SI counts 80,000 individual women members belonging to 3,000 clubs in 132 countries and territories.
On the other hand, SIPR has 76 clubs which count more than 2000 professional and businesswomen who are living up to the name “soroptimist,” meaning the “best of women” or “women at their best helping others to be at their best.”
Promotional literature states that Soroptimist International “inspires action and creates opportunities to transform the lives of women and girls through a global network of members and international partnerships. Soroptimists are committed to a world where women and girls achieve their individual and collective potential, realize aspirations and have an equal voice in creating strong, peaceful communities worldwide.”
Through the past 50 years, Soroptimist International Philippines Region ( SIPR), focused on issues such as violence against women, human trafficking, safe sanitation, displacement, education, leadership, and other issues that affect the lives of women and girls.
Malen Ang, SIPR’S dynamic chair for public awareness, told the Bulong Pulungan media forum at Sofitel Hotel that SIPR has been committed to investing in programs that have a sustainable effect on women and girls. One is the Live Your Dream and Education and Training awards which assist women by giving them the resources to improve their education, skill and resources and job prospects. The second is “Dream It, Be It,” which provides girls in secondary school access to professional role models, education and the resources to live their dreams.
Malen’s efforts at creating public awareness of the Soroptimists’ vision and mission have borne fruit. This was confirmed by Rosario ( Cherry) Tumaneng, SIRP governor for biennium 2016- 2018. Cherry said her biennium advocacy is educating and training women and girls, and conserving safe water.
Educating women and girls via grants is well known, but why are Soroptimists concerned with water conservation? Governor Tumaneng said lectures are given about the health benefits of boiling water, solar disinfection ( exposing water to the sun), and using water filters. She cited the importance of adopting a barangay program which emphasizes helping women and girls understand the value of conserving water. “Water is life, without water, there is no life,” she said.
The Bulong Pulungan session with SIRP devoted time to discussing the SIRP’s flagship project, a woman’s desk in police precincts in all municipalities in the country.
In fact four weeks prior to the Bulong session, SIRP held its 9th national biennial summit on Women in Policing in Davao City, with the theme “Enhancing the Role of Women for Change in Peace and Security Agenda.”
Thelma T. Ortiz, chair of the 9th summit, said topics taken up were cyber crime anti- trafficking in persons, family courts, insights on leadership, understanding the psyche of generation types ( for example baby boomers and those born around 1980 who are also called millennials), wellness and spirituality.
Laling Ordonez and Malen Ang took turns explaining the paradigm shift in policewomen’s roles. It used to be that this sector was pictured as having “itchy fingers,” meaning they made coffee, typed on typewriters and later, computers. But their picture has changed.
It was Girtie Tirona, commissioner of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women, who introduced the concept of Soroptimists venturing into masculine territory. In no time, reported Carmen A. Flor, SIPR past governor, former President Fidel V. Ramos issued a presidential decree mandating the establishment of a Philippine National Police women’s desks.
Policewomen were trained for supervisory work and command posts and eventual promotions into the mainstream of the PNP hierarchy, reported Carmen Flor. Soroptomists went as far as South Cotabato, then Angeles City and the Visayas to inform the “lady cops” of issues related to women and girls’ concerns.
Not only that, male generals were also asked to attend gender sensitivity courses. There was some resistance at first, but eventually “they succumbed to the Soroptimist’s appeal. Thus the PNP women’s desk became a reality.” Nine summits have been held around the country, attended by male and female officers of PNP.
Sen. Orlando Mercado, author of the PNP Reorganization Act 8551, crafted into law that 5 per cent of the total budget of the PNP should be dedicated to gender and development. In 1994 Soroptimist established the Identifying Project Adopt a PNP Women’s Desk, mandating all Soroptimist clubs to take care of the needs of PNP women’s desks. There were 75 clubs nationwide. SI Quezon City adopted eight PNP women’s desks for which it received an award from SIPR. SI Makati similarly received an award from Soroptimist International of the Americas.
The importance of PNP women’s desk cannot be overestimated. As Malen Ang elaborated, women victims of physical abuse can go directly to the desks and report to policewomen on duty. Before they were too ashamed to discuss details of their condition to policemen who would dismiss them as “domestic problems.”
More power to you, Soroptimists!
The latest restaurant to dine and be seen in, is XO46 Heritage Bistro, on the second floor of the fabulous S’Mason Conrad Manila Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay city.
Ambassadorial Andrew Masigan, owner of XO46 Heritage Bistro, said he and wife Sandee Siytangco Masigan, wanted “to create a restaurant to finally affirm that Filipino cuisine is not pedestrian, not casual, but suited for fine and world- class dining.” The Manila Bulletin columnist added, “We purposely built XO46 to be the best representative of our cuisine and culture.”
One agrees with Andrew that diners go on a “palatial dining experience” with portraits of Philippine presidents and first ladies lined on the walls – those of Manuel Quezon ( Andrew’s favorite “because he united the country”), Elpidio Quirino (“during his time the country experienced the fastest economic growth”), Ramon Magsaysay (“he was the man of the people”), Corazon Aquino (“the mother of Philippine democracy”), Sergio Osmena, Eva Macapagal, and Leonila Garcia.
There’s a state room where the table is an original Magsaysay gifted by the late president to Sandee’s lolo. Some of the chairs are exact replicas of furniture at Malacanang’s Kalayaan Hall. The silver, crystal and porcelain, especially hand-carried by Andrew from Spain, are authentic and sparkling at the State room (with fabulous chandeliers hanging overhead), the Intramuros room and Kalayaan hall.
After the tour, diners can now enjoy Filipino cooking and degustacion. A complete menu is a replica of Gen.
Emilio Aguinaldo’s state dinner of eight courses, and a Philippines - on - a Plate offers eight courses served from the 9th century to the present time. “People can book for private dinners, with mayordomo service,” said Andrew. But anyone can choose from the long list of stylized Spanish and Filipino tapas, sopas and ensalada, pansit, rice, vegetable, meat and seafood dishes.
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