Putting women’s views in the news

Women's Feature Service (WFS) in partnership with local AM radio station DZRS in Sorsogon City hosted a series of five 30-minute radio talk shows aired from June 28 to July 2, 2004.

Among the topics discussed by Program Anchors, Roberto Labalan, station manager of DZRS and Aurora Rodriguez, WFS Bicol Bureau Coordinator in “A Week with WFS” under the regular program Riparo Publiko, were an overview of WFS, high risk pregnancies, violence against women (RA 9262), women and poverty and the Gender and Development (GAD) budget.

In the discussion dubbed "Too young, too old and too often" (Maselang pagbubuntis: bata pa, may idad na, madalas pa), guests including college students Christine Bello, Othello Ballesfin and Jobelle Flores discussed the health implications of high-risk pregnancies.

WFS Bicol Bureau Chief Au Rodriguez and resource speaker discussing ARH

It was seen that health is a basic human right, but a lot of women’s lives are at stake because of pregnancy. There are, however, reproductive health programs present to address this problem through various strategies. Even so, sectoral disagreements on strategies remain a problem. What women would like to point out is: "the right to life is a universal principle and no life of any woman should be put at risk by reason of pregnancy."

Another problem that women face, particularly in the Bicol region, was discussed in the segment "Violence against women (VAW): Breaking the culture of Silence" (Karahasan Laban sa Kababaihan: Basagin ang Katahimikan). City Prosecutor, Atty.Gina Gabito and PO1 Eliza Paje of the Women & Children’s Desk (Sorsogon) talked on their experiences working in the field. According to them, various forms of violence against women (domestic violence, sexual harassment and rape) threatened women's health, security and peace. The passage of RA 9262 or Anti-Violence against Women and their Children Act of 2004 was a landmark legislation as it classified VAW as a crime punishable under the law.

In the segment on "Women & Poverty (Kababaihan at Kahirapan), City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) officer, Carmen Hubilla spoke on poverty as a form of oppression, and how it affected women. Of the total 4.7 million population of Bicol, there are more women (48.9%) as compared to men (41.1%) (2003 NSO-Region 5 Quick Stat). However, women in the labor force comprise only half at 48.2% while men total 84%. Unemployment of women also increased from 4.4% in 1997 to 11.5% (1998 NSO).

Initiatives like the Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (CIDDS), an anti-poverty community-based rehabilitation program of the government delivered through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or CSWDO/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) of Local Government Units (LGUs), tried to address these problems of sanitation, nutrition, training and livelihood to benefit women.

As funds are very important in implementing services and programs, the segment, "Oh my GAD!" explored the Gender and Development budget and how barangays could access it. City Budget Health Officer, Robert Jamoralin and City GAD Officer, Rose Abay spoke on the segment.

While the GAD Budget is mandated by law, there has been confusion, if not corruption in implementing programs that fall under it. Some examples include basketball courts, waiting sheds or infrastructure and development.

It was recommended that through a minimum basic needs approach, the residents should take initiative and say what they need through a participatory appraisal. In that way, more relevant and women-specific projects like water systems, toilets, credit/lending windows and skills training could be arranged. The key issue to remember is that planning should start from the bottom-up not top down.

As part of the monitoring and evaluation of the radio program, women from Barangay San Juan, Sorsogon through Ms Lilia Jaso, Secretary of San Juan Women’s Health Organization gave their feedback on the segments. They agreed that the program raised their level of awareness on the women's issue discussed, developed a positive feeling for women issues and concerns and would listen regularly to programs on women, if launched in local radio stations.

Furthermore, the program has influenced the action plan of the NGO/Media Partnership of Sorsogon. Some chief initiatives include the launching of a multi media GAD Budget Advocacy Campaign; expanding the scope of women issues in their future broadcasts and in issues of local papers; adopting of talking points of the radio program on GAD in the TV program aired July 10 over AITV, the local TV station and the promise to use the WFS GAD budget radio ad in radio stations DZGN, DZRS, DZMS and even in the July 10 TV program.

This series is part of Project MediaLinks of the WFS, an international news agency that aims to put women's issues in the news. By linking local NGOs and local media, WFS wishes to contribute to a wider dissemination and mainstream women's issues and concerns.

Stay tuned for "A Week with WFS" in Naga City this July 19 - 23, 2004 (3:00 – 3:30 pm) with program anchor Armi Pena under DZRB's Radyo ng Bayan.

For more information, contact Aurora Rodriguez, WFS Bicol Bureau Chief (Cell. 0920-3838779) #