Gina leads women leaders in Congress
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
IN celebration of women’s month, 4th District Rep Gina de Venecia assumed as Speaker of the House of Representatives for a day last March 14.
The wife of former five-time Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. headed an-all women legislators group that took over Congress from their male counterparts.
De Venecia, who is currently president of the Association of Lady Legislators (ALL) comprising of 64 congresswomen from various parts of the country, banged the gavel at 4:00 p.m. that day, signaling the start of the all-women led session of the plenary.
The other Pangasinan lady representative who held a post was Rep. Kimi Cojuangco (5th District) as Deputy Speaker.
Deputy Speaker Beng Climaco, the highest woman legislator in the House of Representatives, who was presiding in lieu of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, passed the baton to De Venecia.
The others who served as Deputy Speakers for the day were Bernadette Herrera-Dy of the Bagong Henerasyon partylist and Josie Joson (1st District, Nueva Ecija).
The Majority Floor Leader was Angelica Amante- Matba (2nd District, Agusan del Norte) with Rep. Mary Mitzi Cajayon (2nd Dist, Caloocan), Mercedes Alvarez (6th Dist, Negros Occidental) and Kaka Bag-ao of Akbayan Partylist as the deputy majority floor leaders.
The minority Floor Leader was Rep. Aliah Dimaporo (2nd Dist, Lanao del Norte).
Rep. Anna York Bondoc (4th Dist, Pampanga) presented her bill on to breastfeeding, which was co-sponsored by Rep. Theresa Bonoan- David (4th Dist, Manila).
EXHIBIT
At the same time, the ALL organized an art and photo exhibit at the lobby of the Batasang Pambansa, in observance of the Women’s Month.
The exhibit had the theme “Empowering Women Through Legislation and Arts, Envisioning the Millennium Development Goals.”
ALL is organizing other activities such as a medical mession, skills and livelihood training, and a dialogue with Department of Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman on March 22 to discuss developments in social services to the poor.
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