WUNRN
THE PHILIPPINES - URBAN POOR WOMEN
UNITE FOR ADVOCACY OF RIGHTS
By ALDWIN QUITASOL
The Philippines-Baguio City - May 22, 2011 – Urban poor women members of the Samahan ng Maralitang Kababaihang Nagkakaisa (Samakana) vow to strengthen their ranks to advance the rights and welfare.
On the theme “Adawen dagiti adal ti maysa nga dekada iti panagtignay. Pairuten ti panagkaykaysa. Ipinget ti laban para iti pagimbagan, kabiagan ken karbengan” ( Draw the lessons from a decade of movement, tighten the unity. Intensify the struggle for welfare, livelihood and rights), urban poor women delegates gathered for the 3rd assembly of Samakana at the Sta. Scholastica Convent.
Samakana is women’s member organization of the urban poor citywide alliance Organisasyon dagiti Nakurapay nga Umili iti Siyudad (Ornus), and a sectoral chapter of the Innabuyog – Gabriela.
It was founded in 2001 in a bid of the urban poor women to draw a uniting mass organization from their ranks to fight for their sectoral interests.
According to one of the founding member and present secretary Cristy Ngolab, Samakana is not just a women’s group committed to looking for short term solutions to the problem of being poor like livelihood for one.
Ngolab said the organization is dedicated to educating the women especially from the urban poor to comprehend the roots of their poverty and to understand the social issues and concerns all the sectors of the society are facing.
Ngolab furthered that enlightened members take-up this important role in the goals of molding of a better society where it will benefit the majority.
Ngolab explained that as part of the society, they believe that the women can never be free from their status as "second class" citizens impossed by chauvinistic and musculinist attitudes while the oppressive system exists.
“The liberation of the society from any form of oppression and exploitation means the liberation of women”, said Ngolab in Ilocano.
On March 10, 2007, the Gender Equality and Development Council of the City
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Samakana is also recognized by other non-government organizations and civic groups and individuals for its militant stand for women’s rights and welfare.
In the said assembly, the group assessed the organization’s achievement alongside their weaknesses and strengths. The members also elected their new set of officers and renewed their commitment to carry on to achieve the organization’s objectives and aspirations.