ZONTA ILOILO I AND II HOST AREA MEETING

FORWARD-THINKING BRAND. Nearly 140 Zontians from 12 clubs in the Visayas and Mindanao attended the Zonta Area 3 Meeting held on Nov 28, 2008 in Iloilo City with the Zonta Clubs of Iloilo, Inc. and Iloilo II, Inc hosting with Area 3 . The conference challenged the Zontians to respond to the biennium’s imperatives in advancing the status of women. Also attending were District 17 Lt. Governor Beng Puyat (in lieu of Gov. Narudee Kiensiri of Thailand), District Treasurer Frances Monje of Zonta Club of Pasig Foundation, Inc and Dr. Marilyn Alentajan of Zonta Club of Valle Verde and Area 1 Director Rosario Ventura of Zonta Club of Quezon City. Area Meeting theme is “GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT THROUGH LOCAL ACTION.”

POWERHOUSE ACTION. The plenary program keynote speaker, Atty. Katrina Legarda, a top legal defender of women’s rights spoke on “Volunteerism Among Women”expounding on the state of domestic violence in each stratum of Filipino society. Chris Montano of the Regional Commission on Human Rights handled the topic “Trafficking of Persons in the Philippines” tracing its route from a person’s place of origin to brothels, nightclubs and sex or drug dens in the country and abroad, including the kidnapping of babies and children for sale and human body parts for sale.

“Providing Microfinancing and Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Women in the Community” by Engr Reynaldo Yambao of Taytay sa Kauswagan stressed how women’s economic growth opportunities can be had through project tie-ups with credible groups whose expertise lies in enterprise development service. The Plant Trees and Save Lives segment presented a short film on the havoc wreaked by Typhoon Frank, thereby challenging the 12 Zonta Clubs to campaign for, if not spearhead, sustainable tree planting activities in their areas.

Dr. Aileen Montero exhorted the audience to always look good and feel good and to aim at renewed zest for life in her topic “On Wellness and the Secret of Aging Gracefully.” Three workshops followed with the clubs sharing their best practices on these concerns:

Membership Recruitment and Revitalization, Increasing Zonta’s Local Impact through PR and Communications and Fundraising Schemes.

Fellowship night was held at the Crown Ballroom of Punta Villa Resort with the theme: Broadway and Movies. A day trip to Bella Cove in Guimaras Island capped the 3- day event.

(text by mafelou agriam
source: cream magazine)