ONGOING: Bicol region gender and co-op event; AWCF shares talk

The “Regional Cooperative Gender and Gawad Parangal (G2) Convergence and Awards” is being held October 9-10, 2014 in Legazpi City, Albay province, Philippines. Asian Women in Co-operative Development Forum (AWCF) Executive Director Ms Sally Ganibe is among the guest speakers. The event is sponsored by the Albay Provincial Cooperative Development Council (PCDC), Regional Cooperative Leaders, Cooperative Development Authority (CDA)  Region 5 office, and the Provincial Government of Albay.

The event’s theme is “Inspiring Change for Women and Men in Cooperatives.”  On opening day, Ms Ganibe spoke on gender and development (GAD).  CDA Board Administrator Ms Mercedes Castillo, another guest speaker, talked on GAD mainstreaming, the CDA Memorandum Circular on GAD in co-ops, and the “Declaration and Call for Action” done during the country’s first-ever GAD summit held in Subic Bay in March 2014. The Declaration, crafted by hundreds of participants from co-ops nationwide, elaborated on why and how GAD efforts in co-ops can be strengthened.

Meanwhile, the Legazpi City event has about 89 participants from co-ops in the country’s Region 5 (Bicol).