WOMEN ORGANIZE MOVEMENT TO REDUCE DOMESTIC CONCERNS
By: Philippine Information Agency - Basco, Batanes

Civic-minded women of Basco, extended to other municipalities, organized movement to help reduce domestic concerns by identifying achievable women's needs and initiating possible programs that are implementable by Ivatan women.

The organization multi-sectoral in nature and apostolic in function was initiated by Mrs. Celerina M. Navarro Provincial Director of the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples on May 8, 2002. Sixty nine are expected to registere to date; membership is still open to all women who are willing to share in one way or many ways their care for the most needy.

M A A V I D, the acronym for MAVAVAKES a mian su ANGDET, AYET, VIRTUD, IPARIN sia kanu DIGNIDAD characterizes the Ivatan women's perseverance to push through weathering all circumstances.

Committee chairmen were identified to work with their members in the following: Committee on Information, Education and Communication, Mrs. Vicenta V. Hidalgo; Guidance and Counseling, Carina B. Escalona; Legal Assistance, Marcela B. Barona; Crisis Intervention, Sister Angelina del Campo; Advocacy, Aurea B. Batin; Ways and Means, Juanaria C. Narag; Environment, Culture and Tourism, Florence C. Cielo.

Each committee has committed to have accomplished projected number of "achievable" for women at the end of the first six months. Targeted accomplishments in brief are incorporating children's and women's welfare in PTA meetings, setting programs for women, inventory of most needy parents and a program to reduce their problems, coming up with a newsletter, organizing one women's group by school, the conduct of career pathing, advocacy integrating Ivatan culture in lessons where they are most appropriate or most relevant and full support for waste management to mention a few.

Commitment of officers within the first four months is to establish a center; a place where clients or where the needy feels at ease at least to interface with the members whom she may wish to. The association believes that interpersonal communication is a basal strategy to resolve concerns.

This association barely 45 days old is continuously recruiting new members. Regular meeting at the Batanes Heritage Center is scheduled bimonthly on the first Wednesday of the identified month effective June 5, 2002.

MAAVID Association partners with agencies and organization on info dissemination, guidance counseling, waste management, eco-cultural conservation and tourism affairs and other services for the women's welfare.

PIA co-chairs with Mrs. Celerina Navarro of NCIP.