11 outstanding Mindanao women, man recognized for advancing women’s rights

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Ten Mindanao women and a man were honored by the Mindanao Commission on Women (MCW) last Thursday for their “exemplary role” in advancing the cause of women on the island.

MCW, a non-government organization established by Mindanao women leaders, was established in 2001 and aims to influence public policy and public opinion.

Among those honored this year was Hadja Bainon Karon, a daughter of a Maguindanao royal family, who broke barriers when she joined the Moro revolution at the age of 18.

Karon eventually became the chair of the Moro National Liberation Front’s (MNLF) women’s committee.

After the 1996 peace pact between the MNLF and the government, Karon became one of the most influential figures in the male-dominated Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

MCW said Karon always made sure that women were involved in the peace process.

Irene Santiago, MCW founding chair, said the women were recognized in three categories; namely: those who broke the silence by speaking on issues that society prefer to be quiet about; those who broke barriers by working in fields traditionally ruled by men; and those who broke new grounds by introducing innovations and breakthroughs in their respective fields.

Honored for breaking the silence on the abuse against women and children was Dr. Regina Ingente, an obstetrician and gynecologist, who had set up the first hospital-based women and child protection unit at the Southern Philippines Medical Center. The unit has so far served 9,000 cases of abused women and children.

Former Inquirer Mindanao bureau chief Carolyn Arguillas was cited for breaking the silence about Mindanao through the founding of the media group Mindanews.

Other awardees were:

* Bo-I Era Umopan Colmo-España, one of the few women tribal chieftains of the Uvu-Manuvu tribe in barangay (village) Mua-an Kidapawan and the chair of the indigenous peoples’ group Tuddok;

* Major Cristina Manuel, the first woman military officer and spokesperson of the 10th Infantry Division;

* Lawyer Raissa Jajurie, an alternative lawyer and human rights advocate, who became the first woman consultant of the Moro Islamic Liberation Panel (MILF) in the ongoing peace talks with the government;

* Myla Leguro, who established the Mindanao Peace Institute, a resource center for peace builders based in Mindanao, was also honored by the MCW, along with Betty More, who invented the process of making hand-made paper from durian husks;

* Grace Taculin, one of the first female jail chief inspectors and warden of the Davao City jail, who helped established the Ray of Hope Village, the country’s first women and child-friendly rehabilitation facility for women inmates.

* Zenaida Hadji Raof Laidan, who was cited for establishing the first and only existing halal laboratory in the Philippines; and,

* Agnes Dacudao-Locsin, for her choreography that gave birth to the neo-ethnic dance in the country.

The thorn among the roses, Prof. Hamid Barra, an Islamic scholar, was awarded for breaking the silences, barriers and new ground for women with his scholarly works on Mindanao.

“MCW is proud to have these women and man; and very pleased to recognize the significant impact of their work toward advancing the status of women,” said Patricia Arcenas, who emceed the formal ceremony joined in by Mindanao women in their best ethnic and Filipiniana attire.