8,000 Isabela women gather for Int’l Women’s Month

About 8,000 women of the rights group Avance Isabelina marched, danced and spoke out to commemorate International Women’s Month at the Roxas Municipal Hall compound in Ilagan City, Isabela on Saturday (Mar. 9). Villamor Visaya Jr. INQ

ROXAS, Isabela — About 8,000 women marched, danced and spoke out for their rights to health and better services in celebration of International Women’s Month at the Roxas Municipal Hall on Saturday morning (Mar. 9).

Members of the group Avance Isabelina wore white shirts, and wrapped their wrists with red-and-violet ribbons to show their solidarity with women’s rights, at a gathering joined by reelectionist Senator Cynthia Villar and Gabriela partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas.

Cristine Dy, Avance Isabelina adviser, said all women should strive for health benefits and the protection of their rights at the barangay (village) level. She is the wife of San Manuel Mayor Faustino Michael Carlos Dy.

Brosas encouraged female barangay residents to open up when they suffer domestic violence or harassment.

Roxas town was selected as the convergence point of women from the municipalities of Aurora, Burgos, Luna, Mallig, Quezon, Quirino, and San Manuel./lzb