BAGUIO CITY – In celebration of International Women’s Day and National Women’s Month, three outstanding women leaders (OWLs) here will take center stage in the Kababaihan Festival program at the Baguio Convention Center, Wednesday, March 8.
To be awarded the 2017 OWLs are JS Insp. April Rose Ayangwa as advocate for the Improvement of the Lives of Women Deprived of Liberty; Maria Abubo Bugasto as advocate for Positive Activism and Empowerment against Cancer; and Mary Lou Balagot B. Galiste in the field of tourism.
Ayangwa was appointed warden of the Baguio City Jail Female Dorm in 2016. She has endeavored to further improve the lives of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs), particularly women through programs she initiated and continued such as the continuing education through short courses, self-help programs and life skills and development lectures.
Ayangwa has also organized the women’s “Harmony Choir” that publicly performed twice last year, Her “Pag-aaruga Ko Kasama Pamilya Mo” project encourages participating service providers to carry out regular visits to the homes of indigent PLDs’ families whose basic needs are addressed and sustained by contributions and donations from individuals, organizations and corporations.
Bugasto, on the other hand, is a stage-four breast cancer survivor who has made it her life’s work to inform, educate and raise public awareness on cancer-preventive measures. She has been very instrumental in staging successful cancer awareness campaigns in the City of Baguio.
She is the epitome of super strength and perseverance despite unrelenting personal pain and at the same time initiates clinical breast screening programs, joins medical missions, coordinated with various organizations, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies to get free or discounted medicines and cancer treatment and other medical procedures for indigent patients.
Galiste is the executive director of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB) since 2004. She has been a moving force in the annual realization and success of some of Baguio’s most visited activities like the week- long Session Road in Bloom and the month-long Baguio Blooms.
She chairs various committees and also supervised a special feeding program for Baguio’s street children, blind and homeless. Galiste also designates complimentary stalls for various barangay groups and socio-civic and non-government organizations for their fund-raising activities.
Moreover, special awards will also be given to eight women who excelled in their own fields of endeavor which brought honor, fame, prestige and put Baguio City on the world map last year.
Among the awarded are senior javelin throw world masters champion Erlinda Lavandia; Miss Diamond of the World Christine Joy Picardal, International A Capella champions Pinopela members Roxanne Joy Omilda, Ingrid Payaket, Sheevani Brylle Sibayan and Charmaine Irish Suyo; Miss International Kylie Verzosa and Wushu Sanda World Cup champion Divine Wally.
This year’s theme, “We Make Change Work for Women”, which calls for gender-balance in leadership and decision making positions as well as capacitating women and girls to achieve their ambitions. **Jho Arranz
