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PCW Memorandum Circular No. 2018-02: 2018 National Women’s Month Celebration


Date28 February 2018
ToAll Heads of Executive Departments, Agencies, Bureaus, Offices, State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Government Owned and/or Controlled Corporations (GOCCs),
Legislative and Judiciary Branches, Constitutional Bodies, Other Government Instrumentalities and All Others Concerned
Subject2018 National Women’s Month Celebration

Purpose

This Memorandum Circular is issued to provide a general guide for stakeholders on the national observance of the 2018 National Women’s Month Celebration on March 1-31, 2018.


Background and Policy Mandates

The Philippine Commission on Women, in coordination with national government agencies and local government units, spearheads the National Women’s Month Celebration.

The annual celebration is conducted to give due recognition to women’s significant contributions in nation-building. The following issuances serve as legal bases for the annual activity:

  • Proclamation No. 224 s. 1988 – Declaring the first week of March each year as Women’s Week and March 8 as Women’s Rights and International Peace Day
  • Proclamation No. 227 s. 1988 –  Providing for the observance of the Month of March as Women’s Role in History Month
  • Republic Act (RA) 6949 s. 1990 – Declaring March 8 of every year as National Women’s Day

Policy Contents and Guidelines


Campaign Theme and Objectives
In 2017, the PCW Board Members and Inter-Agency Technical Working Group identified the NWMC theme “We Make Change Work for Women”, which shall be used from 2017-2022. It highlights the empowerment of women as active contributors to and claimholders of development. This pursuit of development is also anchored on the government’s commitment of “malasakit, pagbabago, at patuloy na pag-unlad”.

Consistent with the theme and Proclamation No. 227 s. 1988, the annual conduct of the National Women’s Month Celebration (NWMC) aims to give due recognition to the contributions of Filipino women in our society.

Specifically, 2018 celebration aims to:

  • Inform and engage women as stakeholders of government programs and services to promote citizen-centric governance and make “change” a conscious effort to know, understand, and provide what ALL citizens need;
  • Create and facilitate platforms to discuss good practices, gaps, challenges, and commitments in pursuing gender and development (GAD) to strengthen implementation of the Magna Carta of Women; and
  • Inspire and empower women and girls to be agents of change to contribute in promoting gender equality and the empowerment of all women.

Suggested Activities

In view of the above, government agencies and instrumentalities, non-government organizations, sectoral groups, private and civil society organizations at the national, regional and local levels, including local government units, are enjoined to conduct activities in line with this year’s Women’s Month Celebration theme and/or participate in the following activities:


Production of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Materials

  • Hanging of 2018 NWMC official streamer in all government agencies, including regional offices, local government units, and Philippine embassies and consulates
  • Development, production and distribution of IEC materials for 2018 NWMC which include collaterals designed by PCW and agency-specific materials like flyers that feature agency services offered to their women clients.
  • Wearing Purple T-shirts/blouses/polo every Thursdays of March (March 1, 8, 15 and 22) in support of #PurpleThursdays. Agencies are encouraged to either suspend implementation of their respective uniform policy on the said dates, or wear purple accessories or accents like button pins, scarves, wristbands, or ribbons with their uniform for the day.

Participation to Women’s Month

  • Uploading of the official logo, advocacy video and other National Women’s Month advocacy materials in government agencies’ website, Facebook, Youtube and Twitter pages and using 2018 NWMC Facebook Camera Effects
  • Participating in the online campaign thread about the observance using the hashtag #WomenMakeChange
  • Featuring the organization’s calendar of activities and activity implementation reports and Women’s Month advocacy materials in their official websites, social media accounts and publications, and sending links to the reports to PCW through e-mail events.pcw@gmail.com
  • Use the All-Women Cast Lupang Hinirang Video in agency’s NWMC activities The music video can be downloaded here.

Organizing or participation to Women’s Month information campaigns/advocacy activities


We Make Change Work: Women Inspiring Women Forum
Modeled after TEDx format, this forum aims to celebrate women’s journey and sharing inspiring stories of change in their chosen fields, to encourage their fellow women to be empowered change agents. It will also serve as a venue for women to inspire and appreciate each other, and create an environment supportive of each other. Government agencies or local government units can hold a forum in their organizations or localities. Please refer to Annex 1 for suggested guidelines and program of the forum.


PCW-led forum schedule:

Activity InformationMechanics for Participation
Date: March 8, 2018
(International Women’s Day)
Time: 1:00 – 5:00pm
Venue: GSIS Theatre, Pasay City
In partnership with Government
Service Insurance System		Please visit this page.

Tel. No.: (02) 735-8509
Date: March 15, 2018
Time: 1:00 – 5:00pm
Venue: Aklan Training Center
In partnership with Aklan Provincial
Government		Please coordinate with
Engr. Roger Esto
Tel. No.: (036) 268-5442 or
(036) 262-1555
Email addresses:
ppdoaklan@gmail.com,
aklanpgo@yahoo.com
Date: March 22, 2018
Time: 1:00 – 5:00pm
Venue: Davao City
In partnership with Davao City-
Integrated Gender and Development
Division and University of
Southeastern Philippines		For LGUs, NGAs and NGOs, please coordinate with:
Ms. Lorna Mandin
Tel. No.: (082) 225-0363
Cp. No.: 0917-546-0823
Email addresses: igdd@davaocity.gov.ph,
elaybee@yahoo.com

For state universities and colleges, please coordinate with:
Ms. Rioliza B. Molina
Cp. No.: 0917-315-8293
Email address: rio.molina@usep.edu.ph

2018 CineJuana Film Festival
The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) is organizing the CineJuana Film Festival, featuring films celebrating women’s strength, power and resiliency on March 26-28, 2018. For schedule of screenings, please visit the FDCP website.


2018 NWMC Photo and Poster-Making Contest
PCW, in partnership with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), will launch the 2018 NWMC Photo and Poster-making contest in March. The activity will utilize arts, particularly photography and poster-making to promote women’s empowerment. The photo contest is open to all college students while the poster-making is open to all high school students.


CCP’s Readathon and Peak-A-Book Exhibit
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is holding a “readathon”, a gathering of women playwrights, which features dramatic readings, workshops for women playwrights and talks on writing for the stage on March 23-24. The CCP is likewise holding an art exhibit featuring the works and books of 12 all-women, all-Filipino illustrators for children on March 24 at the Pasilyo Edades Hallway, 4th floor CCP Building, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City. For more information, contact Ms. Marivic Santos of the CCP Training and Development Division.


Use of Gender and Development Budget
The 2018 National Women’s Month Celebration is one of the annual advocacy events spearheaded by the PCW. It promotes public awareness on women’s issues and likewise recognizes the vital role of women in society. As such, expenses related to the 2018 National Women’s Month Celebration may be charged to the Gender and Development (GAD) Budget of government agencies and may be reflected in the 2018 GAD accomplishment report of the government offices, provided that the activities conducted are in line with the theme and focus area of concern provided in this circular.


Inquiries and Feedback
For more information and for comments and suggestions, please visit the NWMC page at the PCW website or contact PCW Corporate Affairs and Information Resource Management Division (CAIRMD) at Telephone Numbers (02) 735-1654 local 131 or (02) 735-85-09 or email events.pcw@gmail.com and look for Nikki Delos Santos-Francisco or Katherine Gutlay.


For your guidance and appropriate action.


(SGD)
RHODORA T. MASILANG-BUCOY
Chairperson



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