The Philippine Statistics Authority Regional Statistical Services Office VII (PSA RSSO VII) joins the nation in celebrating the 2023 National Women's Month. The 2023 National Women’s Month Celebration marks a juncture in the advancement of women’s rights as it launches a new recurring theme from this year to 2028: WE for gender equality and inclusive society. It sparks a renewed commitment to the advocacy and banks on the gains achieved during the 2016-2022 theme, WE Make CHANGE Work for Women, which emphasized the need for compassionate and harmonized networks towards Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE).

The passage of the following laws serves as the legal bases for the celebration of National Women’s Month:

Proclamation No. 224 s. 1988, “Declaring the First Week of March of Every Year as Women’s Week and March 8, 1988, and Every Year Thereafter as Women’s Rights and International Peace Day.” Signed by former President Corazon C. Aquino on March 1, 1988, it affirmed our solidarity with the United Nations and recognized Filipino women’s contribution to the struggle for national independence, civil liberties, equality, and human rights.

Proclamation No, 227 s. 1988, “Providing for the observance of the Month of March as “Women’s Role in History Month”. Signed by President Aquino on March 17, 1988, reinforced the earlier proclamation by emphasizing the role of Filipino women in the social, cultural, economic, and political development throughout our history. It provided for a month-long nationwide observance with appropriate ceremonies and activities to be spearheaded by the Commission.

R.A. 6949 s. 1990, “An Act to Declare March Eight of Every Year as a Working Special Holiday to be Known as National Women’s Day” was signed by President Aquino on April 10, 1990. The law further strengthened the impetus for the celebration by declaring every March 8 as a special working holiday and enjoining employees from the government and private sector to participate in activities conducted by their offices.

PSA as the central statistical authority of the Philippine government generates sex- disaggregated data which are useful inputs in gender and development programs. Among others, PSA also supports the National Women's month celebration thru conduct of various activities such as display of streamers, Wearing of purple polo shirt/blouse, GAD Trivia, Orientation on Statistics on Women and Men & Vital Statistics on Women & Men, Production and Distribution of IEC Materials like Fact Sheets/Infographics about statistics on Women, dissemination of gender related materials, Gender Analysis on Surveys and censuses (infographics, special release), TV and radio guesting among others.

For updates on the 2023 Women’s Month Celebration, you may visit the PSA’s official website at http://rsso07.psa.gov.ph, PSA Facebook at PSA Siete, and PSA Twitter at twitter.com/PSA07govph.

(SGD.) ARIEL E. FLORENDO
Regional Director