In some countries like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, March 8 is a national holiday. In other countries, women celebrate IWD as their holiday. Not so in Australia.

Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland observed the first IWD on March 19, 1911, following a decision agreed at Copenhagen.

Observance of IWD started as early as the 1900. Thanks to the campaign waged by the suffragettes, the women who campaigned for their right to vote. This was a period of radical ideologies and booming population growth.

In 1908, women’s oppression and inequality spurred women to be vocal and articulate in reforms for change. This led to the Socialist Party of America to hold their first National Woman’s Day (NWD) in 1909.

A second International Conference of Working Women took place in Copenhagen. It was here where the concept of International Women’s Day (IWD ) was proposed by Clara Zetkins, leader of the Women’s Office for Germany’s Social Democratic Party.

Zetkin’s proposal was unanimously carried by the conference of more than 100 women from 17 countries. Among these women were the first three women elected to the Finnish parliament.

More than a million women and men attended rallies in 1911 the first IWD for women’s right to work, vote, be trained, hold public office and end discrimination.

In that year the tragic ‘Triangle Fire’ in New York which claimed more than 140 lives of Italian and Jewish women immigrants drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States which became the focus of subsequent IWD celebrations. It was also in 1911 that saw women ‘Bread and Roses’ campaign.

Russian women in 1917 staged a ‘bread and peace’ strike for the death of more than 2 million Russian soldiers in war. On its fourth day of the strike (March 8 according to the Gregorian calendar), the Czar abdicated his throne.

IWD has become a global day of recognition and celebration both in developed and developing countries.

Today, there is a significant change and attitudinal shift in the perception of equality and emancipation.

The ingrained complexity of patriarchy still show women are not getting paid on equal basis to the male counterpart. Though great improvements have been made women are still not equal in politics and business and more so in education, health and violence are worst than that of men.

Each country decides its theme for IWD. Australia has these themes:

• Australia UNIFEM: Unite to End Violence Against Women
• Australia Qld Government Office for Women: Our Women, Our State
• Australia WA Department for Communities: Sharing the Caring for the Future

What can each one of us do?

Let us all make a difference, think globally and act locally. Help to make the future bright, safe, equal and rewarding for our girls!

*** Lolita Farmer OAM is a Sydney-based lawyer, president of Global Filipinos Australia and chairperson of Worldwide Filipino Alliance.

Julie Nunez, third from left, receives her 2010 Blacktown Woman of the Year award with, from left, Councillor Kathie Collins, Mayor Charlie Lowles, and Councillor Julie Griffiths.

A Filipino woman from Woodcroft, Julie Nunez, was named 2010 Blacktown Woman of the Year and presented with the prestigious award at an International Woman of the Year breakfast hosted by Blacktown City Council early this month.

This followed a state of NSW accolade for Ms Nunez in December 2009 as recipient of a prestigious 2009 Chifley Community Volunteer Award for service to the community of western Sydney.

A client service officer with the NSW Department of Housing, Ms Nunez is better known for her volunteer work in the city of Blacktown and with the Filipino community in western Sydney.

During the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, she was an accreditation officer, and then served as a volunteer during World Youth Day in Sydney in 2008, assisting hundreds of overseas visitors. Ms Nunez again volunteered as an accreditation officer for the Sydney Masters Games in 2009.

The Filipino community has benefited from her various civic activities and positions. Ms Nunez is current president of the Philippine Australian Community Services Inc (PACSI). During her 14 years with PACSI, she taught seniors of the organisation line dancing as a form of exercise to keep them healthy and fit.

As a client service officer, she has helped countless homeless people and families and assisted them with temporary accommodation to keep them safe and off the streets.

She is a founding member and a board member of the Philippine Health Care Association of Australia (PHCAA), an association that upholds the contributions of the Filipino health care providers to the community.

Ms Nunez is treasurer of the Ateneo Alumni Association of Australia and founder of the Chavacano Association of Australia (CAA). A former community research worker at the Immigrant Women’s Resource Centre NSW, she completed a study on settlement needs of Filipino immigrant women in NSW. Copies of her report had been published and distributed to various government and non-government agencies for their referral and information. Recommendations formulated were taken into consideration and implemented by various government agencies.

As coordinator of the Community Bilingual Program in Blacktown, Ms Nunez developed a pilot program of information for parents and students from non-English-speaking backgrounds to make them aware of the services available in the community. This program was funded by Ethnic Communities Council of Australia and sponsored by the Blacktown Migrant Resource Centre.

L–R: Donna Jones, Kathleen Monares, Jane Doria, Aprille Lim, Cersha Burn, Michelle Snelson (Photo credit: Raymond Mallary / PASC)

Jane Doria was crowned 2009 Miss Philippines-Australia. First Runner-up was Aprille Lim.

Aprille also won the Charity Queen Australia title. Charity Princess was Kathleen Monares.

This year’s theme was “Celebration”, a celebration of being a Filipino woman signifying beauty, grace and wonder.

There were six candidates vying for the crowns, each sponsored by various clubs. The candidates with their club sponsors were Jane Doria, Pinoy Tennis Clan; Donna Jones, Visayan Association of Australia Inc; Kathleen Monares, Philippine Australian Friendship Association; Cersha Burn, Filipino Community of the Hunter Region Inc.; Michelle Snelson, ACT Filipino-Australian Social & Cultural Association ; Aprille Lim, Bicol Communities League Inc.

Each candidate was presented with an Achievement Award in recognition of her own unique skills and abilities that define today’s modern woman. It also acknowledged her participation and commitment as a candidate in this year’s Miss Philippines-Australia and Charity Queen Australia pageant and for her valued support of the Grand Philippine Fiesta.

Other awards given on the night were Miss Popularity (Cersha Burn), Miss Photogenic (Kathleen Monares), Miss Friendship (Jane Doria), Miss “Pearl of the Orient Seas” (Jane Doria), Best in Swim Wear (Aprille Lim), and Best in Evening Gown (Jane Doria).

Last Wednesday a grateful and tearful nation bade goodbye to Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, well-loved 11th president of the Republic of the Philippines, internationally known icon of democracy, loving mother and grandmother, and a fellow Tarlaquena.

In between trying to get some work done, once in a while I would walk to the TV lounge to catch a glimpse of President Cory’s slow-moving funeral procession mobbed by hundreds of thousands of mourners and admirers chanting her name. From a distance the emotionally charged scene looked like a canvas of yellow and black colors with brown hands jutting out of the picture.

I felt sad that I wasn’t in Manila for this historic moment; I wished I could have joined some of my friends who patiently waited for hours somewhere along the route to the Manila Memorial Park in Paranaque, to pay their last respects to a much-respected lady. Perhaps I’ll feel better if I can share with you my simple personal experience with President Cory. I will no longer extol her many virtues because by now you’ve heard, read and seen a lot about this national leader who has left us with beautiful memories to last a lifetime. Allow me to share my personal story to demonstrate the profound impact President Cory had on those whose lives she touched including mine.

I had completed my six years of employment at the Westin Philippine Plaza when the much-heralded EDSA Revolution took place in February 1986. Yes, my family and I were among the more than a million Filipinos who marched on EDSA, an unprecedented collective action that ousted a 20-year dictatorial regime, installed our country’s first lady president and restored democratic processes throughout the land.

A couple of months later I was called upon to serve the new government, invited to lend a helping hand in the best way that I knew how. That’s how I landed in the Department of Tourism, as Deputy Executive Director of then Philippine Convention Bureau which later our team evolved into what is now the Philippine Convention & Visitors Corporation.

Passion to serve

Leaving my comfort zone in the private sector, I suddenly found myself in an unfamiliar capacity as a public servant. I didn’t mind the pay cut nor the bureaucracy because amidst the euphoria of our country’s newfound freedom, I, too had a passion to serve.

My colleagues and I were always in awe whenever we would catch a glimpse of President Cory in her signature yellow suits at official functions. One of my memorable moments with her was when she addressed the DOT staff in one of our tourism events. She reminded us to shun the “excesses of the past regime” and remain “simple, humble and honest.” She told us to be a role model and put “service to God, country and people” above all else. Those words of wisdom set the standards for my three-year government service.

My job was to promote the Philippines as a tourism and convention destination. And it turned out to be the most professionally enriching and emotionally rewarding job I’ve ever had in my entire career.

As part of my numerous marketing responsibilities, I travelled overseas either to help man the Philippine booth at international travel fairs, attend tourism conferences or go out on selling missions with my colleagues. As I recall, we did all these functions on a shoestring budget. After getting used to staying in the finest Westin hotels whenever I travelled for my previous employer, my new team and I searched for budget hotels, especially in countries where room rates were astronomically high. Once we found ourselves staying in a Holiday Inn in the middle of nowhere. I asked my traveling companion, our Tourism Attache in Washington DC, where on earth she found this motel. In an age when computers were not yet a way of life, she simply relied on what the travel agent said “our budget could afford.”

Instead of renting cars, we would have fun chasing taxi cabs in busy streets like Chicago or New York. Even the Tourism Secretary himself set an example for all of us, reminding us about President Cory’s standards. He, too, chased taxi cabs. I vividly remember one Winter day in Berlin, when my immediate superior, the Undersecretary of Tourism Marketing, and I stood almost freezing outside the exit gate of the world’s largest tourism fair. Along came a tourism official from Thailand and asked us what we were doing out there in the bitter cold. We replied that we were waiting for the shuttle bus to take us back to our hotel. He looked at us incredulously and asked, “Whatever happened to the stretch limos that your predecessors used to have?”

The world was happy for us Filipinos

Shortly after joining the DOT, the very first overseas function I attended was a convention of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) in Brisbane. All the Asian destinations were vying for a slot to speak and present their country before these 1,000 tourism professionals. Because of the Cory magic, AFTA gave the Philippines the first priority to present. I got so nervous by this unexpected opportunity that the Tourism Secretary almost had to push me onto the stage to deliver the opening spiel and introduce him as he warned me, “It’s now or never.”

Everywhere we went, people opened doors for the Philippine tourism team, and we felt that the world was just so happy for us Filipinos. More often than not, we would be asked about President Cory. One time I had to show my tourism brochures to a Customs officer who found my carry-on too bulky. But all he asked was, “How about giving me a picture of Cory?”

A year after joining the DOT, I represented the government in an Asia-Pacific tourism conference in Bangkok just after the May 11, 1987 elections. My staff had prepared a speech for me, which was about tourism statistics and tourist attractions in the Philippines. After my first nerve-wracking experience in Brisbane, by this time I had gained a bit of self-confidence in public speaking. But instead of reading my prepared speech on statistics, I just told the audience the story about the EDSA people power revolution, how the events unfolded, how we, as a people staged a bloodless coup that toppled a dictatorship and installed Ninoy Aquino’s widow as the rightful president, the position denied her after she was cheated of victory in an earlier snap election. Following the restoration of democracy, I told them that we experienced the largest turnout of voters in our history, as the Filipinos, basking in their newfound freedom, were eager to elect their own local officials and national leaders in Senate and Congress. As I talked I noticed that some American men in the audience were in tears, probably touched by the pride and joy of all Filipinos who I represented. After my 15-minute talk, a reporter came to me and asked for a copy of my speech. I told him that I didn’t have any; I just spoke from the heart.

I’ve also spoken from the heart in writing this email. Thank you for writing me to share with you and your readers my memories of the late President Cory. I hope you all had the patience to read this email.

In closing, I just want to say that in death, President Cory reawakened the Filipino spirit and united us once more.

I am so proud to be a Filipino. And prouder that I once served President Cory’s government.

Sincerely

Lynn

*** Lynn Z. Romero is currently Director of Sales & Marketing, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu

Ms Pilar Pilar (middle) with writer (left) and Madonna Salva

Interviewing a Philippine celebrity turned Missionary Evangelist was most interesting. And rewarding too!

When asked about the purpose of her visit downunder, she smiled warmly and, in the usual fashion of Ms Pilapil of many years ago, she was in her usual spirited self.

She’s here downunder on a mission, literally and figuratively.

She is on a mission work, speaking before various Christian Born Again Churches and Filipino Christian Fellowship through the invitation of Pastor Diego Tabaquero. She also met with other pastors like Rudy Yap and Pastor Frank.

How did she become a missionary?

She said that it was a calling she couldn’t turn away from. She got baptised as a born again Christian in 1995, and the following year she decided to commit her life to Christian works.

She underwent training for this role for two years and became member of ‘Jesus The Supreme King Christian Ministries’. In 1998, she founded the Pilar Pilar Foundation. The foundation built two churches and a school in Apas, Cebu City and in Baseco, Port Area, Manila.

Since then she has been reaching out to different churches and various socio economic levels of the community. Her mission is focused on the poor, abandoned and abused women and children.

When asked how she goes about with her daily missionary works, she was quick to reply that she has feeding programs for children, gift giving, medical and dental missions in remote places while evangelising, teaching, counselling, doing prayer intercessions, injecting biblical truths and above all letting the people discover and experience God’s faithfulness to change their lives.

Pilar Pilapil, the beauty queen and movie actress

She was born on October 12, 1950 in Lilo-an Cebu. She comes from a family of 10 children.

In 1967, she became Bb Pilipinas representing the Philippines in the Ms Universe Pageant of that year.

Her life as an actress for film, television and stage has spanned over 30 years. She has won two major best actress awards.

When asked if she is planning to leave the movie industry, she said, she is still doing acting roles in television and currently has a role in the TFC television series, Lobo and Betty La Fea. Indeed once an actress always will be!

Upon learning that she was very keen about social life here in Sydney, I took the opportunity to brief her about the Hot Mamaz who were also present to welcome her.

Other than the song rendition of Madonna, a special dance was dedicated to her by Ofelia Kasilag and Brian Babon. She could not help herself and started to dance herself.

She said that she will visit Sydney again and will attend the coming Hot Mamaz Winter Ball in August.

The Hot Mamaz present were Arlene Howe, Sheila Collantes, Michelle Vallejo, Angel Laney, Ofelia Kasilag and myself.

Her entourage included her husband of seven years, Pastor Leo Penas of Cebu, and her niece, Jenny Smith of St. Ives.

We look forward to your next visit, Ms Pilapil.

Lolita Farmer OAM with HE Ms Quentin Bryce AC Governor-General of Australia

Governor-General Bryce and Ms. Farmer were members of the National Women’s Advisory Council.

At the visit, Ms. Farmer said, “We talked on issues of common concern affecting women especially migrant women. It is interesting to know that the Governor – General has visited the Philippines before she assumed her current position and paid high regards to the Filipino women.”

Ms. Farmer describes her visit as an appointment never to be missed.

Celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) 8 March 2008, with the theme “100 years of active women in paid and unpaid work” not just focusing on our struggle but also highlighting the achievements.

The theme reminds us of the many roles of women – at work, at home and in the community.Today we have the first female Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard who for brief periods has been acting Prime Minister sending a message to the young women that there are opportunities to make a difference.

Women participation in public and business sectors

Women participation in the Federal Government are 4 women in the federal cabinet; 3 in the outer ministry and 3 parliamentary secretaries from a number of 42 representatives in the Australian Federal Parliament.

There are only 4 women chairing ASX200 companies and 6 Chief Executive Officers. Only 50% of the ASX200 companies have one woman board director as compared to 89.4% in the United States and 78% in the United Kingdom.

In 2007 NSW Government there are 13 women in the Legislative Council and 25 in the Legislative Assembly.

Women in the NSW public sector executive positions represent 35.7% and 36% of the NSW public sector board and committee positions.

Local Government in 2007 in NSW, 26% of the elected councillors were women and 5% of general managers and 24 % of senior managers were women.

Though some changes and improvements have been made still there are issues confronting women of the workplace today: inequity of pay; distribution of household and family responsibilities; gendered workforce and glass ceiling.

Women contribute two-thirds of the total value of unpaid work – housework, caring for children and other family responsibilities and volunteer work in the community.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics figures indicate that in 2005, there were 4.7m women in the workforce comprising 45% of Australia’s entire labour force; 51% of professionals in Australia are women; university graduates in education 56% are women;33% women represent the small business operators and are the majority or part owners of nearly one-half (46%) of all small businesses.

International Women’s Day started in New York 100 years ago when 15,000 marched for the right to vote, a decent wage, and an end to sweat shops and child labour.

IWD was recognised in 1911 for the first time in Austria; Denmark; Germany and Switzerland.

The United Nations designated 1975 as the International Women’s Day on 8 March by holding events that honour women.

In 1928 the first Australian IWD March was staged at Domain Sydney protesting for equal pay for equal work and better working conditions.

Important dates for Australian women are:

1921 – Edith Cowan elected to the Legislative Assembly of Western Australian Parliament thus becoming the first Australian woman parliamentarian.

1943 – Dame Enid Lyons and Senator Dorothy Tangney elected to the Federal Parliament

1976 – Senator Margaret Guilfoyle becomes the first woman to be a member of the Cabinet and also administer a government department.

1986 – Senator Janine Haines became the first woman to head an Australian political party.

1990 – Carmen Lawrence became the first female Premier of an Australian state.

1995 – Jennie George appointed first woman President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

2001 – Jenny Macklin becomes Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

2007 – Julia Gillard becomes Deputy Prime minister of Australia and Julie Bishop becomes Deputy Leader of the Federal Opposition.

There are other many women who juggle paid and unpaid work that epitomise the IWD 100 year anniversary theme. It is women like these that we celebrate and acknowledge this International Women’s Day.

Finally, no IWD is complete without a march, so put on your walking shoes and assemble at Sydney Town Hall by 11am by marching to Hyde Park north via George and King streets.

UNIFEM breakfast on Friday 7 March at darling Harbour with ABC TV’s Phillipa McDonald as the host with proceeds going to South East Asia and Pacific projects.

Two prominent women from the Middle East are the speakers one from Israel and one fron Palestine.

There were 121 councils that received funding for IWD activities. Contact your council for activities that you would like to participate in.
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