The Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI) recently conducted their 1st Quarterly Meeting with participants from various women organizations from the Local Govenment Units and non-government organizations in the region . In time for the annual celebration of the Women’s Month, some of the highlights of the said activity included the induction of officers, the presentation of accomplishments for the 1st Quarter of 2014, presentation of the 2015 Plan of Action and the presentation of the Financial Report. Issues and concerns affecting the different women oganizations were also tackled.
The Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI) is a national federation of women’s organizations established in the year 1990 under the Bureau of Women’s Welfare. It is the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s response being the lead Agency mandated to provide programs and services that will alleviate poverty and empower the vulnerable and disadvantaged sectors in society including the women .
The KALIPI is a federation of women’s organization, committed to respond to the need of organizing women which genuinely promotes women’s development and empowerment through harnessing their strengths and developing their full potentials as human beings.
Since the KALIPI has been organized in the local government units, women in the barangays and municipalities have been empowered and have learned to value what they can do and contribute not only for the upliftment of their communities but also for themselves.
In the City of El Salvador for instance, some of the livelihood projects of the women in the locality includes production of mats, duhat wine, herbal products, cassava and suman products making, cakes and patries making. To date, preparations are being made for the Opening of their House of Pasalubong which will be the ultimate display center of their products and will showcase the entrepreneurial activity of the women in El Salvador. This initiative of the City government hopes to provide income for their families and in the process improve their quality of life. This livelihood project was also made possible in coordination with other partner agencies and organizations .
In Iligan City, the city govenrment tapped Coca-Cola Bottlers Phils.Inc. in the conduct of Business Entrepreneurship Training to qualified KALIPI members in which 508 members from 10 different barangays were able to participate.
This and more shows that the women of today are indeed aware of their important role not only in their respective homes but to their communities as well. They have come to realize that in order for a nation and a community to develop, it takes the strength of both men and women .
Written by Mitzie S. Santiago,DSWD