NWU kickstarts NWM celeb, features women’s pandemic stories

The Office of the Student Affairs, together with the Northwestern University Gender and Development Focal System, the Guidance Center, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Vedasto J. Samonte School of Graduate Studies, and the College of Teacher Education, conducted E-Kumustahan 3.0 – Episode 7, via Facebook Live on March 18, 2022.

The event is in line with the celebration of National Women’s Month with the theme, “We Make Change, Work for Women.”

The program was spearheaded by Prof. Agustina Matias-Dancel, Acting Dean of the OSA, and Prof. Shiela Navasca, Physical Therapy Department Head, together with three guests: Mrs. Darlene Mae Bayam, an entrepreneur and wife of Brgy. Buttong Chairman Jessie James Bonoan; Atty. Elizabeth Janapin-Parel, a lawyer; and Mrs. Mary Ann Santos, also an entrepreneur.

The first topic on the talk show was “Women: Life Stories Amid the Pandemic.”

 “The struggle is more on the situation of Buttong, where Kapitan Jessie James Bonoan  and I accepted that I am the mother of Buttong. The struggle there is how to restore the dignity of the people of Buttong because many [have lost] their jobs. So dignity in a sense that when you lose [a] job, you [also lose] your self-worth,” said Mrs. Bayam.

They also came up with a feeding program that was headed by Mrs. Bayam, and they also provided free Wi-Fi for the students and food for the frontliners.

 “Balancing work, parenting, and being a wife [has become] more stressful. It’s also difficult to work at home and, at the same time, take care of the needs of your kids because, while you’re working, you are constantly distracted by the needs of your children. I have more become resilient as a mother because of the struggles we are all facing. I am struggling as a parent, and I have to understand that they have struggles on their own,” Atty. Parel said.

Mrs. Santos also told the story of her life as a mother during pandemic. “I sell different foods because that is my coping mechanism to keep moving. My children were involved in business and they learn[ed] to value the money,” she said. 

 “We have grown [up] in a time when we can freely express ourselves. We can freely be ourselves. We can choose what things to do and what profession,” Prof. Dancel-Matias said as she shared the second topic regarding Coping Practices: Life Changes.

“Women are not just empowered in terms of who they are in a society of gaining respect more in society. We have come to that status because we have felt the support of the government by enacting laws,” Atty. Parel articulated.

The third topic, “Coping Practices of Families during the Pandemic,” was shared by Mrs. Santos. She shared their coping practices as a family during the pandemic: they were able to form a choir, attend masses every Sunday, and do clean-up drives once a week.

“We’re able to develop relationship within the community. Nakita nila yung other side na hindi lang sila sa City lumaki,” said Mrs. Santos.

“But I got to learn and to know more about them, and I understood that mental health issues are really a must that parents should address during this pandemic,” said Atty. Parel as she shared her coping practices.

 “A woman is extraordinary if she is self-empowered, because if you are self-empowered woman, you have the ability to promote women’s sense of self-worth. You try to value their opinion of others, you let them feel that they are strong. You value their opinion so that they will not be afraid to speak up for themselves, to fight for what is right,” Mrs. Bayam stated as she empowers the viewers.

“A woman chose strength, even under difficult circumstances. Compassion, no one chooses it better than extraordinary women. Patience, resilience, perseverance, we walk the extra mile, and it does not matter how long it takes, we can do that. Unconditional love, we love until it hurts and even it hurts beyond what we can bear. We can care. We can give care, even more than you asked for. We’re very diligent creative and innovative, we find ways,” Atty. Parel quoted.

The NWM celebration of NWU is composed of five (5) programs that will last until the end of the month.