By ILOILO CITY – GABRIELA Panay and Guimaras led the launching of this year’s One Billion Rising (OBR) in Iloilo City last February 14, together with various sectors. The Regional Gender Resource Network Western Visayas or UGSAD and all organizations affiliated with it were also a big part in the success of said activity. Almost 400 people participated in said activity.
In a statement, Lucy Francisco, Regional Chairperson of GABRIELA Panay and Guimaras, the OBR is a form of protest where women can show their power to call to uphold not just women’s rights but also that of the marginalized people. She added that the worsening economic and political crisis under the current Marcos Jr. administration burden not just women but all marginalized sectors. Francisco further added that the OBR is just the start of their major event as next month, March, will be women’s month, where they will conduct various activities under the theme “Fight for Livelihood, Rights, and Sovereignty! Resist US-Marcos Repression Against the Filipino People!”.
Francisco called on fellow women and rights groups to join the fight to end all forms of human rights violations against women and all Filipino people, to call to increase wages and lower the price of basic commodities, instead of Charter Change./PT
