As the whole world celebrates International Women’s Day, Rep. Mylene Garcia-Albano (2nd District, Davao City) sought for the passage of a proposed bill that will declare March 8 a non-working holiday in the country to allow Filipino women to fully enjoy their special day through a one day break from their workplaces.
Garcia-Albano, vice chairperson of the Committee on Women and Gender Equality and one of the 60 co-authors of House Bill 3962 seeking to declare March 8 every year a non-working holiday, said the one day off work is a means of paying tribute to Filipino women for their massive contribution to nation-building through their various roles and tasks in society.
“Today, we salute our women for all their many achievements, sacrifices and challenges that they have faced in working for the well-being of their families and our country. We hope that in the near future, we can allow them to enjoy Women’s Day more by declaring it a non-working holiday,” she said.
A bar topnotcher, Garcia-Albano also took the occasion as an opportunity to call for more socio-economic opportunities and better conditions for women through the support of all sectors of society.
The House of Representatives approved HB 3962, which is principally authored by Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan (Party-list, Gabriela), on March 5, 2012 and transmitted the measure on March 8, 2012 to the Senate where it remains pending.
The bill seeks to amend Republic Act 6949 “An Act Declaring March 8 of Every Year as A Working Special Holiday to be Known as National Women’s Day,” by declaring the day a non-working holiday in recognition of the contribution of women in all aspects of national development and in consonance with the International Women’s Day celebrated around the world.
It also provides that further to the provisions of RA 6949, all government agencies at all levels, including attached agencies and local government units and government-owned and -controlled corporations, through their Gender and Development Focal Persons, shall prepare and implement a program in the observance of the National Women’s Day on March 8 of every year, commemorating the role of women in the history of the country and promoting awareness on women’s rights and participation in national development.
Also in celebration of the International Women’s Day, a party list group concerned with human rights asked the government to initiate measures to put a stop on the trafficking of migrant workers mostly women in the disputed territory of Sabah.