Philippines Statistics Authority- Regional Services Office VII took part in the annual celebration for women held every month of March.  Last March 31, 2021 the agency actively organized a culminating activity to end the month-long celebration. The activity was held at PSA-RSSO VII Office in coordination with the CRS Outlet. This year’s celebration focused on the theme: We Make CHANGE Work for Women. The PSA-RSSO VII had managed to show support on the celebration by giving time to all Juanas around the agency to unleash their talent. The agency had various activities that could help the Juanas to boost and show their unseen capability. The activity was formally open by the Chief Statistical Specialist of PSA-RSSO VII Mr. Leopoldo Alfanta Jr.

CSS Alfanta gave his opening remarks with inspiring words empowering the women. His message, contained with high respect towards women, and leads him to relate it into his own personal experience as a father, a husband, and a co-worker. CSS Alfanta talked about empowering and acknowledging the achievements as well as contribution of women in the society. He ended his message with a well-known quote that states “Behind every successful man is a woman” yet he reinstated it into “Every woman’s success is herself.”

The highlight of the activity was to showcase the employee’s hidden knowledge. To achieve this goal PSA-RSSO VII facilitates a trivia in form of a mobile application game called KAHOOT. The trivia was composed of various questions about women, laws, and privileges. PSA-RSSO VII employees were eager to join the activity. It was highly appreciated to sustain the camaraderie of everyone in sharing knowledge towards other.

On the other hand, an activity was conducted at the CRS-Outlet wherein a certain question was asked to those women who were at the CRS-Outlet. Those who have answered the questions were given tokens. The activity was a steppingstone to discuss and address the issues that women continue to face as well as a call for concrete, sustainable, and inclusive actions towards gender equality. One client shared her life experience as a woman and a mother. Thus, from her simple act of voluntarism, woman’s dignity was universally recognized.

Among other activity conducted is the ZUMBA which was participated by PSA-RSSO VII employees. This is also a way of maintaining healthy well-being and showing that health is wealth. In this activity the employees were freely given the opportunity to show their talent in dancing. Much possible, smile and energy were visible in every participant. THEREFORE, the celebration generally aims to inspire and empower women and girls to be agents of change – to contribute to promote gender equality and the empowerment of all women.