TACLOBAN CITY – After six-years of being together as live-in partners, Noela Cristine Tare, 28 and Genaro Adora Jr, 37 finally had their union blessed in a sacrament of marriage during a mass wedding sponsored by Oxfam, We Care Partners and the city government of Tacloban.
The mass wedding, held on March 1, served as the opening salvo of the activities lined up by the city government for the Women’s Month celebration.
Unlike the 128 other couples, Adora and Tare were both deaf-mute and were classmates since elementary and became a couple six years ago.
During the entire wedding ceremony, the couple had an interpreter who relayed to them what the host and the speaker were saying.
They both said their “I dos” through a sign language.
Adora said that while have they have wanted to get married before they could have children, lack of money hindered them to do it.
“We also don’t know how we can get married,” Adora said in sign language relayed by an interpreter during an interview.
When they learned about the mass wedding, they immediately grab the chance given by the city government and its partner Oxfam and We Care Partners since they were already living together for six years.
For a couple to avail of the mass wedding, they must be living together for about five years.
Legalizing union is very important because it will not only benefit couples but including their children, Wilma Perante, regional director of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.
“We are happy that the city government and its partners came up with this program because Region 8 is rank second with the most number of illegitimate child in the country,” Perante said.
“This program will correct that problem because after this ceremony you will apply for legitimation even they are already using the father’s surname. This would change the status of your child and this is the greatest gift that you can give to your life after this marriage ceremony,” Perante added.
Based on the PSA data, as of June 2017, a total of 97, 834 babies were born out of wedlock or illegitimate child in the region.
“Giving legitimacy to your children will greatly affect them. This will take the stigma away from your children who sometimes suffer bullying because you are not married,” Perante shares.
Mayor Romualdez, who solemnized the wedding ceremonies, advised the newly-wed couples to always love each other and always show affection to them.
“As a couple who loves each other, you should learn how to be patient and knows how to forgive whenever your partner committed something wrong,” Romualdez advised.
Apart from the mass wedding ceremony, the campaign for equal distribution of housework between couples was also launched led by movie and television actress and care work advocate Camille Prats.
The campaign, dubbed as “I Laba Yu”, encourages husbands and wives to share household’s chores and responsibilities.
“Sharing houseworks with your partner is a best example that you can show and teach to your children, and to express your love to your husband or wife,” Prats said.
In the 2017 Oxfam’s Household Care Survey from Eastern Visayas and Mindanao, shows that women spend an average of 4.5 to 6.5 hours of households chores which is six times higher than men.
It also said that women spend a total of 11 to 12 hours of elderly or child care which is two to four hours times longer than men.
“Women disproportionately carry the burden of unpaid care work. It is time that we resurface and recognize it as shared responsibility by everyone. Equality should begin at home,” Oxfam Philippine Country Director Maria Rosario Felizco said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

In Eastern Samar

BORONGAN CITY- Eight local chief executives in Eastern Samar forged an alliance for sea-to-shore protection.
On Feb. 13, the mayors of Dolores, Can-avid, Oras, Arteche, Sulat, Taft, San Julian, and San Policarpo (Do-COASTSS), all from the northern part of the province, formalized their alliance through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed with the support of the army, police, fisheries bureau, and the Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) at the ESSU conference hall, ESSU, Borongan City.
They united to protect the remaining fragile coastal and fisheries resources in this part of Eastern Samar and address management issues.
Areas of cooperation of the alliance include crafting of policies and programs, implementation of activities, and sharing of resources.
With the alliance forged, the eight municipalities vowed to pursue organizational development and capacity building, coastal law enforcement, coastal and fisheries resource management, information, education and communication and social marketing and sustainable financing.
In her presentation, Mecelinda Cepe, national team leader for Tukod Project, a nongovernment organization supporting the alliance, shared that the fisherfolks go out fishing for longer hours but they catch less.
She added that they are investing more in fishing operations but earning less.
“They are vulnerable to crisis and shocks. They, too, are marginalized,” Cepe said.
Tukod, which means to “support, buttress or uphold,” is supporting the alliance through INGO Center for International Studies Corp. and the Center for Emergency Aid International Studies with the financial support of the Government of Canada in response to Typhoon Yolanda’s devastating impacts on the Visayas region of the Philippines.
Cepe added that municipal fishing production in the province has decreased by 88 percent since 2014 due to the depletion and degradation of marine and fishery resources, thus the need for the NGO and government intervention.
Can-avid Mayor Gil Norman Germino said he did not shy away from the shared responsibility as his LGU could not do the task alone. He said they really needed everybody on board.
Of the eight local chief executives, six mayors came to personally share their commitment.
Present were Mayor Shonny Carpeso of Dolores, Mayor Norman Gil Germino of Can-avid, Mayor Viviane Alvarez of Oras, Mayor Thelma Nicart of San Policarpo, Mayor Virginia Zacate of Sulat and Mayor Dennis Estaron of San Julian.
Mayor Alvarez, the convenor, with Germino jested that the MOA they signed “signifies lifetime commitment” much like in marriage.
“We need the extraordinary work of ordinary people,” Alvarez said.
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) provincial fishery officer Nelia Tomayao witnessed the MOA signing and vowed her 100% support.
After the MOA signing, with their alliance formed, the eight-member team will soon be meeting again to synchronize their municipal ordinance on marine protection to achieve their dream of preserving and protecting the coastal resources that provide their people with livelihood. (NBQ/PIA 8-E Samar)

TACLOBAN CITY–At least 9, 281 families in Eastern Samar have benefitted from various livelihood assistance under its development banner program “Proyekto 25,” said the provincial government in its report.
Provincial administrator George Erroba said the program serves as an inclusive poverty solution in the province.
“Proyekto 25’ is our platform for development. It serves as the backbone, supporting the growth of Eastern Samar for the five years. We believe that if we reached the target of lowering the 46.3 percent poverty incidence in the province into 25 percent, Eastern Samar will change its direction,” said Erroba.
The program focuses on the development of agri-fishery, tourism, governance, and health in the province.
In terms of its livelihood support, the province reported that it has recently distributed 101 gilts/sows with feeds, 491 piglets, 11,695 native chickens, 982 ducks, 515 goats, 5 egg-laying machines with 50 hens, 1, 200 broiler chicks with feeds, 28 tractors, and about 4, 371 sacks of fertilizers with other data to be accounted yet.
The livelihood assistance amounted to P16.5 million given to 1, 670 Household-based Organizations (HBO) beneficiaries comprising 9, 281 families.
An HBO is composed of up to five families who are related to each other and living close to each other.
Floro Acaba, in-charge of the community development and public affairs office, said that Proyekto 25 is a social preparation for the various anti-poverty efforts of the government.
“We prepare the communities. This is a very important component of the project. We’ve been doing this for more than a year” said Acaba, adding that the success of the project is not an overnight event.
According to the official, the people “should own the project in order to succeed.”
“Government believes that there can be no meaningful progress or development without the community at the heart (of the project),” he said.
(RONALD O. REYES)

CARIGARA, Leyte- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Leyte Second District Engineering Office district engineer, Gerald Pacanan, conducted a dialogue with maintenance crew members of the district.
During the meeting, held at the gymnasium in Lapaz town, Pacanan discussed the importance and the responsibility of the maintenance crew in the office.
Pacanan also instructed the field workers to address the road potholes, grasses, traffic signs and even the slightest problems.
“The field workers are the image of the department. Your works mark the impression of our office. You have a great responsibility. So I am here to ask for your cooperation to improve the performance of our district office,” the district engineer said.
He also conveyed his utmost support and openness to the concerns of the field workers. He added that he will conduct regular visit, and evaluate the performance of the field personnel and hold the Maintenance Point Persons (MPP) liable for the inaccuracies.
“Do not hesitate to report your concerns and speak out if you have suggestions that would make our work better. Our communication must be two-way. I will listen to you,” he added.
Pacanan challenged the 124 maintenance crew and the point persons who attended the gathering to do their best in order to meet with the target schedules and attain outright compliance.
He then expressed to stand with their commitment.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)