As we enter a more intense rainy season, I wonder if women have been organizing in response to the challenges of climate change. This is what the Philippine Commission on Women’s Remy Riken had encouraged us to do last March.
It is very logical for women to be the ones to organize for disaster risk reduction and the building of resilient communities. When calamity strikes, women are often the most affected since they are usually in charge of the household and children. Their activities are affected when there are emergencies which involve lack or absence of necessities such as food and water. Many seem to believe that they are responsible for the whereabouts of the children. Women are also closer to the earth! In our work with women, we observed their desire to be involved with activities outside the home, participating in community affairs, learning new things, but most of all being part of something that improves the well-being of their families.
Responding to calamities and disaster requires working together, hence a good organization is a must. My experiences with Neneng Hermosa in educational reform suggest some phases in the implementation of community programs. First, a core group is needed for a rapid appraisal of the community situation. The entire place is surveyed to find out the challenges facing the community as well as the resources (like areas for evacuation) available to act on these. The findings are then validated by presenting them to the community.
Participative planning follows. Motivation has to be provided through a vision of a resilient community with benefits to be justly shared. In Negros an ID system was implemented so that residents in the community of the geothermal plant would experience lower electricity rates.
Action Teams are then formed based on the planned activities. In this case, teams for awareness-raising and education on the environment and climate change, quick response teams, as well as teams for long range changes are required in the community. Some communities require re-zoning; certain schools in the city have to be relocated to be out of danger.
Monitoring teams are needed for the implementation of the community’s plans and implementation of laws related to the environment and disaster risk reduction management. This includes monitoring the use of funds. Women need to get used to making claims for their community, for their families, for their children.
The community also needs to be open to both internal and external evaluation. In fact, the organized women need to be ready for all those who will want to learn from their experiences.
A Martyr in Support of Workers’ Rights
Fr. Rudy Romano was a very generous person. We once requested him to facilitate a recollection for our UP High seniors. He invited us to hold it at St. Alphonsus seminary for free.
He was never self-righteous. He calmly went about working for justice by doing rather than using wild, angry words. As he did this work, he did not immediately appear bold and daring. He supported workers in their effort to organize themselves and claim their rights. He took extra effort to be actually be with them, to come face to face with the reality of their lives, sharing in their deprivations. This was important because without this immersion, how could he be their voice: sharing their condition with the parish or the students of St. Theresa’s and many others who could then be part of the solution to the challenges of our country.
His “withness” with the workers not only inspired and strengthened them. It intensified his commitment.
Because of a research I did on the women in the labor movement, I realized the dangers he faced in his mission. The women had difficulty being in the vicinity of the workplace; they had to be very creative in penetrating this wall of resistance against genuine worker empowerment. The dangers were due to the complex power struggle involved. It was not merely the corporate powers; there were also the competing unions, as well as government forces.
While Fr. Rudy was convinced that he was right about assisting the workers as they claimed their rights; there were other considerations. He had to be careful not to impose “the right choices” for them. He had to make sure that they did not become unquestioning, just because he was a priest of God. That was a difficult path he chose. It is said that Fr. Rudy may have even been tortured, but he did not scream at all. I agree with Fr. Emy Maningo that Fr. Rudy should be canonized. But maybe, more important is for the young now to realize the realities and challenges of his times and be inspired by his life sothat they can live more meaningful lives.