The city government of Tagum recognized on March 07 Tagum Cooperative Chairperson of the Board of Director (BOD) Norma “Normskie” Pereyras as Tagumpay Excellence awardee for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment.
She was among the six individuals carefully chosen by the Search and Awards Committee tasked by the city government of Tagum to identify the outstanding individuals and organizations which exceptionally made substantial contribution to Tagum City’s growth and development, bringing honor and pride to the Tagumenyos.
In his opening remarks during the Tagum Excellence Awards and Recognition Night, City of Tagum Mayor Allan L. Rellon gave his salute to Pereyras “whose unparalleled leadership in the country’s foremost cooperative has empowered the women sector.”
The sustained Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Program of Tagum Cooperative (TC) sets it apart from other cooperatives which are now learning from the pioneering ventures of the TC to empower women as partners in cooperative movement.
Pereyras looked backed at the period 1990 to 2000 when NATCCO (National Confederation of Cooperatives and AWCF (Asian Women in Cooperative Development Forum) started the Gender Advocacy. It was then that Tagum Cooperative joined the bandwagon to promote the rights of women and has sustained it for about 25 years now.
“We pushed forward the rights of women amidst male chauvinism at that time. We made headway in our advocacy to empower women in decision-making, not only about household affairs but also on financial matters,” she said.
She remembered how she faced male tyranny in 1995 when she was elected as the first woman chairperson for three consecutive years, of the male-dominated Board of Directors of Tagum Cooperative.
“Grabe! Grabe talaga ang pag-underestimate sa kakayahan ng mga Kababaihan. Meron pa kaming male board of director na nagsabi na ‘Kayong mga babae, hinugot lang kayo sa tadyang naming mga lalaki!. Kayo ay inferior sa mga lalaki!’, she said in sharing her experiences during the Philippine Cooperative Centennial Year kick-off celebration on February 05, 2015 at Quezon City Memorial Circle.
But with the sustained drive of Tagum Cooperative to empower women and see men as their equal, Pereyras felt confident that she could answer Pope Francis when he asked “where are the women?”.
“Here we are, in Tagum Cooperative actively and intelligently participating in major decisions especially in the boardroom as policy-makers who have helped strengthen our systems to make a difference,” she said.
Pereyras has believed since then, that women should have a rightful and fair share of benefits and privileges “because 75 percent of the general membership of Tagum Cooperative are women”.
Noting the long-time advocacy of Tagum Cooperative to empower women, Pereyras believes that the Cooperative has substantially contributed to the realization of the Millennium Development Goal. (Tagum Cooperative)
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