LAGAWE, IFUGAO- – To get an idea of the scale and breadth of the role of women that goes on in the poverty-stricken Ifugao town in Tinoc, it is useful to look at the municipal women’s day celebration program and how community leader Dimson Calpahi went out of his way to assist different women’s organizations of the town.
An advocate of women empowerment, Caplahi said the public and private sector leaders should tirelessly work to improve their conditions.
“To our women-led mothers, whose boundless love and dedication enabled us to attain our dreams and aspirations, my commendations,” he told the ZigZag Weekly.
“Many of our women are trying to do well! The success story of our guest speaker, Beatriz Antonio is their story,” Calpahi asserted.
Tinoc is largely a farming town. There are a number of women folks who are engaged in vegetable farming. Contrary to the impressions of many unschooled folks, most Tinoc soil tillers are not earning much. Many are hoping and praying for better conditions. They have doubts and insecurities. Productivity had fallen.
Hardly have women farmers settled down on the chores in their fields when super typhoon Uwan devastated Tinoc late last year.
Thus, Colpahi aired the need for assistance from the national government in terms of farm-to-market roads, irrigation system and subsidy.
“Women’s organizations are in need of livelihood opportunities,” he quipped.
All told, even with limited resources, the contributions to nation building of Wangwang Women’s Organization, Impugong Women’s Organization, Ap-apid Women’s Organization, Gumhang Women’s Organization and Poblacion Women’s Organization are widely recognized.
Development of agriculture does not take place in a vacuum. It is necessarily influenced, shaped and developed by women leaders as they engaged in social, political and economic spheres. Many times, they are guided by men in the private sector like Calpahi.
A resident of Barangay Luhong, Calpahi has the distinction serving the Philippine Army. His experience in assisting women groups is broad and deep. He extended his generosity and kind-heartedness to them twenty years back and has never looked back for Calpahi wants a solid foundation for women.**By Anthony A. Araos
