Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. led the opening of Tiendas Ilonggas at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol Lobby, officially launching the province’s National Women’s Month Celebration.
The trade fair highlights the talents and entrepreneurial skills of Ilongga women, featuring a diverse range of locally made products, including hablon (handwoven textiles), woven baskets, personal accessories, and food items.
“We wanted to engage women in development,” Governor Defensor said. “We look forward to strengthening our partnership upod ang mga kababaihan (together with women).”
Organized by the Provincial Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office (LEDIP Center Iloilo Province), Tiendas Ilonggas provides a platform for women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to market their products and grow their businesses. The initiative reflects the Iloilo Provincial Government’s commitment to fostering inclusive economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
Apart from Tiendas Ilonggas, the following activities will be part of the month-long celebration:
𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬:
📌 March 3-7 – Tiendas Ilonggas Kick-Off Activity
📌 March 8 – Women-Led Province-Wide Limpyo Iloilo Kontra Dengue
📌 March 10 Onwards – Purple Offices Initiative
📌 March 7, 14, 21, 28 – Purple Fridays with Zumba
📌 March 14, 21, 28 – Women’s Health & Wellness Fridays
📌 March 21 – Job Fair for Women
📌 March 27 – Her Story: Babae, Umangat Ka Na Ba? A Women’s Forum
The celebration is spearheaded by the Provincial Gender and Development (GADIloilo) Unit, with support from the Iloilo Provincial Employees & Community Multipurpose Cooperative (IPECMPC), the Association of Iloilo Provincial Government Employees (AIPGE), and various provincial offices.
This year’s celebration carries the sub-theme: “Babae sa Lahat ng Sektor, Aangat ang Bukas sa Bagong Pilipinas,” which reinforces the core objective of RA 9710, or the Magna Carta of Women: to empower women, promote gender equality, and ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities.
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