Richielyn Canlas | Manila Bulletin

In celebration of International Women’s Day, female employees of the Manila City Hall and volunteers conducted tree-planting and clean-up activities in some parts of Manila on Friday, March 8.

The tree-planting activity was conducted in Arroceros Forest Park, while the clean-up drive was conducted at the Arroceros Park, Rajah Sulayman Park, Manila Science High School, and Roxas Boulevard service road.

The activities were in line with the city’s theme for Women’s Day: “We are All United, Nurturing Gender Inclusive Eco-Friendly Magnificent Manila.”

Manila Vice Mayor John Marvin Yul Servo-Nieto recognized the efforts and importance of women.

“Tunay nga pong napaka-espesyal ng ating selebrasyon dahil natataon din pong tayo ay pinamumunuan ng pinaka-unang babaeng alkade ng Maynila after 451 years, ang atin pong punong lungsod na si Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, at napapaligiran pa po tayo ng mga kababaihan sa larangan ng ating serbisyo (Our celebration is indeed very special because we also happen to be led by the very first female mayor of Manila after 451 years, our City Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, and as we are also surrounded by women in the field of our service),” he said.

“Ang isa po sa pinaka-malupit na ginagawa po sa mundong ibabaw ay ginagawa po ng mga babae. Biruin ninyo, dinadala sa sinapupunan (ng) siyam na buwan, ang hirap po kaya mag-buntis… Nakakabilib talaga ang mga babae… kaya maraming-maraming salamat po sa ating mga kababaihan na bukod sa nag-aalaga ng pamilya, nagiging ina sa tahanan, at nag ta-trabaho pa (One of the hardest things in the world were all done by women. Imagine, they will carry a child in their womb for nine months, it’s hard to get pregnant… Women are really impressive… so thank you very much to our women who are taking care of the family, for being a mother, and still managed to work),” Nieto added.

Nieto hoped that all participants in the activities would remember how every woman in their lives took care of them.

“Kaya naman po sa ating pagtatanim ng mga halaman, puno, paglinis ng ating kapaligiran, at pangkalahatang pangangalaga sa ating lungsod, nawa’y maalala po natin ang kalinga at aruga na ibinubuhos sa atin ng ating mga ina, kapatid, lola, mga tita, pamangkin, at kung sino pang mga natatanging kababaihan sa ating buhay (As we are planting trees, plants, and cleaning our environment, may we all remember the care and nurturing that we received from our mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, nieces, and other special women in our lives),” Nieto stated.

The vice mayor stressed, “Kung anong kayang gawin ng lalaki, kayang-kayang gawin din ng mga babae. Babae ka, hindi ka babae lang (What men can do, women can do too. You’re a woman, you’re not just a woman).”

The Manila City Council (MCC) also announced on Friday that it approved a city resolution on March 5 in observance of National Women’s Month.

It said the legal mandate for women’s month was Proclamation No. 224, 1988, “Declaring the First Week of March of every year as Women’s Week and March 8, 1988, and every year thereafter as Women’s Rights and International Peace Day” as well as Proclamation No. 227, 1988, “Providing for the observance of March as ‘Women’s Role in History Month,” and Republic Act 6949, 1990, “An Act to Declare March Eight of Every Year as a Working Special Holiday to be known as National Women’s Day.”

The resolution was filed by all the women councilors of the 12th City Council: Councilor Irma Alfonso-Juson of the First District, Councilor Roma Paula Robles-Daluz of the Second District, Councilor Johanna Maureen Nieto-Rodriguez, Councilor Pamela “Fa” G. Fugoso, Councilor Arlene “Maile” Atienza of the Third District, Councilor Krystle Marie “Krys” Bacani, Councilor Science Reyes, Councilor Louisa Marie “Lady” Quintos-Tan of the Fourth District, Councilor Charry Ortega of the Fifth District, and ex-officio members Councilor Leilani Marie “Lei” H. Lacuna and Councilor Juliana Rae “Yanyan” Ibay.