DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, March 8 (PIA) -- In line with the observance of National Women’s Month (NWM) this March, 2021 Babayeng Garbo Awardee Archimedes Diputado highlighted the best qualities of women that bring positive impact to the community.

Diputado delivered the keynote speech during the Women’s Month kick-off activity and flag-raising ceremony of the provincial government on March 7 at the Lamberto Macias Sports Center which was attended by employees of the Provincial Capitol.

In her message, Diputado compared women to a candle that brings light to the world by demonstrating qualities such as generosity, heart of service, humility, gratitude, compassion, and love.

“A beautiful woman uses her lips for truth, her voice for kindness, her ears for compassion, her hands for charity, her heart for love. For those who don’t like her, she uses prayer. What you are is God’s gift to you and what you become is your gift to God,” Diputado said.

Diputado shared that generosity, gratefulness, love, and compassion have been her driving force and motivation in organizing medical missions in the community and carrying out other charitable activities such as distribution of school bags and school supplies to children in Dauin where she hails from.

Due to her efforts, she was nominated by the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office of Dauin in the 2021 Search for Babayeng Garbo where she eventually became a recipient of the said award.

“We, women, are heart-centered. We are emotional but we often ignore why we feel such. We fail to examine ourselves. With all humility, I say I did all of this out of passion and compassion and love,” she said.

The Babayeng Garbo awardee ended her speech with a short prayer and additional words of encouragement for women. 

Diputado also also called on the government and community stakeholders to make great strides to promote mothers and protect women.

Provincial Commission on Women (PCW) Deputy Chair Phoebe Tan and Acting Provincial Administrator Atty. Richard Enojo presented a token of gratitude to Diputado for gracing the NWM Kick-off activity of the provincial government.

Enojo also honored women in his short message during the event.

“Womanity is the cradle of humanity. When we say woman empowerment it’s not giving what’s not due them, but it’s a recognition of what is theirs and what has long been denied to them,” Enojo said.

This year is the culminating year for the celebration’s recurring theme “WE Make Change Work for Women” but this time the celebration focuses on the inclusion and promotion of women’s participation in governance, leadership, and in the delivery of essential services through its sub-theme “Agenda ng Kababaihan, Tungo sa Kaunlaran.”

PCW Deputy Chair Phoebe Tan said that since 2022 is an election year, voters, especially women, should choose candidates that would push for the promotion of women’s agenda in governance and policies.  

“Mao kini ang atong ipadayag sa atong mga kandidato sa atong pagpaningkamot na maghimo pa gud ta ug lihok, mga programa, mga activity para makab-ot nato ang equality sa kababayen-an (We should ask our candidates if they have programs, activities, and initiatives in line with our goal to advance gender equality),” Tan said. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)