“Many Colors, Many Circles, One Mindanao”

“Many Colors, Many Circles, One Mindanao” was this year’s theme of the Kamindanawan 2010 conference hosted by the Mindanao Commission on Women on 4-5 February 2010. The hall, inside the Waterfront Insular Hotel in Davao City, was festooned with ribbons of different colors with the women all showing up in their best Filipiniana or ethnic attire during the opening ceremony. It was an opportunity to meet, to listen, to discuss – finally an opportunity to think about an updated Mindanao agenda from a women’s perspective. (more…)

Kamindanawan 2010 – Mindanao Women’s Conference

Mindanao women leaders will converge in Davao City, February 4-5, for the Kamindanawan 2010. They will decide on actions that will ensure women’s interests and leadership are taken into serious consideration in the challenges currently facing Mindanao. (more…)

White ribbon campaign against violence towards women launched at PNP

“Wearing a white ribbon is a personal pledge to speak out against violence towards women.” Irene M. Santiago, chair and CEO of the Mindanao Commission on Women, pins a white ribbon on Police Sr. Supt. Benelito A. Bianzon during the observation of the White Ribbon Campaign held from November 25 – December 10, 2009. The PNP Regional Office XI gave full support to the activity organized by MCW and the Integrated Gender and Development Office (IGDO) of Davao City. About 320 PNP members including civilian employees of PNP attended the activity held in Camp Catitipan, Davao City on December 4.

Mindanao women outraged over Maguindanao carnage

No words can describe the bestial acts perpetrated yesterday in Maguindanao against civilians, mostly women. Together with the group were two sisters and the wife of Esmael Mangudadatu, Vice Mayor of Buluan town, who were on their way to file his certificate of candidacy as provincial governor of Maguindanao when they were attacked in broad daylight. They were murdered in cold blood and there were reports that some of the women were also sexually violated, in a senseless massacre that will go down in the annals of this country’s history as the worst election-related violence. If unarmed women, lawyers and journalists are not safe, who is safe? (more…)

“Women should support women, but not just any woman”

“Women should support women running for public office. But not just any woman. Women we support must be steeped in notions of social justice, human rights and gender equality. ” said Irene M. Santiago, chair and CEO of the Mindanao Commission on Women during the National Women’s Summit held recently at Miriam College, Quezon City. (more…)

No Turning Back

“You are a demanding movement and there is no turning back.” UN Undersecretary General Noeleen Heyzer said this in her keynote speech delivered during the opening program of the Asia Pacific NGO Forum on Beijing+15 to the applause of more than 500 participants. (October 22 to 24 at the Miriam College, Manila.) “Women have learned to blend challenge with joy and commitment towards freedom from want, fear and discrimination,” added Heyzer. She is also the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Executive Secretary.

Irene M. Santiago, Leticia Ramos Shahani, Noeleen Heyzer, Patricia Licuanan at the opening of the Asia Pacific NGO Forum on Beijing+15

Flanking Heyzer in this photo are three Filipino feminists who held top positions in UN conferences and NGO fora for women: Irene M. Santiago (MCW CEO and Chair) as executive director of the NGO Forum on Women in Beijing 1995; Leticia Ramos Shahani, the secretary general of the 1985 World Conference on Women in Nairobi, Kenya; and (more…)

GRP, MILF must heed UN’s call for women representation in peace process

The Mindanao Commission on Women and the Mothers for Peace Movement strongly urge the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to act on a concern made by the UN Security Council over women’s continued “under-representation in formal peace processes.” (more…)