Forgot your password?
Activities during the Relay in the Phlippines
*a network of women and women-friendly organizations, many of which were part of the World March 2000-
Kilos Kabaro Campaign Against Poverty and Violence Against Women”
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Kilos Kabaro (KK2) held three different activities to showcase the Women's Global Charter for Humanity and its accompanying patchwork quilts from various countries in the Philippine leg of the relay:
SOLIDARITY SPEECH
On July 5, around 30 representatives from Manila-based members of KK2 joined over a 100 women from various local women's organizations of Angeles City, Pampanga in a forum dubbed: RP-US Friendship , A Reality? Speakers from different local women's organizations talked about the aftermath of long years of stay of US military bases in this city. Issues raised included those on prostitution, demolition by local government officials of livelihood efforts by former prostituted women, and toxic wastes left uncleaned even after more than a decade that the bases have been removed. The timing of the forum was particularly important because it came just a day after traditional “celebrations” of US-RP Friendship Day.
An explanation of the WMW and the values contained in the Charter were then discussed as an example of the globalization of solidarity of women across the globe against neo-liberalism and patriarchy. At this point, the quilt prepared by KK2 was connected to those from Korea, Japan and Australia and the symbolisms on the KK2 quilt were explained.
Actually, these quilts from neighboring countries were personally handed over to KK2 through Marlea Munez of WEDPRO by the Korean Women Association United (KWAU) when she went to Korea for a speaking engagement upon the invitation of another Korean organization, Women's Solidarity Against Globalization (WSAG), during the time of the relay in that country.
Interspersed in the forum's program were several cultural numbers ranging from poetry reading to singing and “renggahan” or what is locally known as dugtungan.
SECOND ACTIVITY
Press Conference panelists: Jing Geaga (Sarilaya), Guy Estrada-Claudio (Likhaan), Lina Macaurog (Makalaya), Junice Demeterio-Melgar (Likhaan), Atty. Claire Lucson (WomenLEAD) & Marlea Munez (WEDPRO).
On July 7, a press conference was held in Quezon City to formally accept the relay and quilt. Despite the absence of actual quilts from Europe and the Americas (?), the media was presented with pictures of these downloaded from the website and transferred on tarpolin. KK2 leaders took turns in contextualizing the five values of the charter to present realities in Philippine setting.
The relay came at a very critical moment in Philippine history. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is being demanded by various sectors to step down due to a Gloriagate scandal. It is widely believed that she influenced election officials to ensure she got a 1M margin over her opponents . This on top of her husband and brother-in-law being accused of receiving pay-off money from jueteng, an illegal numbers game.
THIRD ACTIVITY
That same day, both the tarpaulin and actual quilts from Asia were put on exhibit at a covered walk in the College of Social Work and Community Development of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City for public viewing till the following day.
Last modified 2005-09-23 12:04 PM
