WOMEN’S RESOURCE

CENTER OF VISAYAS, INC.

Empowering grassroots women
BAKUD
ISSUE 01 December 2020 – March 2021

Artist rendition of theMinglanilla Reclamation project

Empowering grassroots women for social justice

The Women’s Resource Center of Visayas,
Inc. (WRCV) is currently implementing a three-year
project, “Towards empowerment for social justice
among women affected by national infrastructure
projects in Cebu, Philippines.”
The project is implemented in Barangays
Calajoan, Tungkop, Tulay, and Tungkil in the
Municipality of Minglanilla, Barangay South
Poblacion in the Municipality of San Fernando,
and Barangays Sawang Calero, and Suba in Cebu
City.
Impending infrastructure projects include
the San Fernando Port in South Poblacion, the
Minglanilla Reclamation Project that will cover the
shorelines of Barangay Tungkil, Tulay, and Calajoan
and the Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway.
The plan for the construction of the
port was announced by San Fernando Mayor
Lakambini Reluya in 2017. However,
construction has not started yet. Once
operational, the new port which has an initial
budget of P 336 million will accommodate
vessels with routes covering Cebu, Bohol,
Camiguin Island, and Cagayan de Oro City.
Unconfirmed reports are that the
construction will affect the fishing grounds of
Barangay South Poblacion that will adversely
affect the residents’ means of livelihood
which is fishing. Houses built on the
shorelines of the reclamation may also be
demolished and their residents relocated.

Bakud is a quarterly publication of the Women’s Resource Center

of Visayas, Inc. This issue features news regarding a project of
the WRCV implemented with the support of the Misereor, the
German Catholic Bishops’ Organization for Development
Cooperation that has supported development projects for over
60 years in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It is a three-year
project that started on December 2020.
 The Minglanilla Reclamation Project is The Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway, also
a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the known as the Cebu–Cordova Bridge and the
Municipality of Minglanilla, Philippine Third Cebu–Mactan Bridge, is an 8.9-kilometer
Reclamation Authority (PRA), and Cebu toll bridge expressway in Metro Cebu that links
Landmasters, Inc. Dubbed as Ming-mori Cebu City and Cordova in Mactan Island. The
Techno Business Park and developed and construction of the bridge started in 2017.
managed by CLI affiliate Ming-Mori When the proposal for this project of the WRCV
Development Corporation, the 100-hectare P was conceived for funding, there were fears of
billion reclamation project will have an residents that many houses in Barangays Suba
integrated mixed-use development that will and Sawang Calero, the two project sites in Cebu
house light industries, commercial, residential City, may be demolished in order to give way for
and port facilities, among others. Construction the construction of the foot of the bridge.
is said to start in 2022. However, the foot of the bridge was later seen to
be connected to the highway in the South
There are fears that completion of the Reclamation Properties and no houses would be
reclamation project will cost the fishermen demolished.
their livelihood since they would have to go
farther to the sea aside from not being able to This project is conceived with the aim
dock their boats anymore, with the shore that the women in the project areas, if provided
covered by reclaimed land. By having to go with education, training and other measures that
farther to the sea, the small fishermen with will organize, empower and strengthen their
their small fishing gear compete with big organizations, they will stand up to their basic
commercial fishing vessels. In effect, the human rights and collectively address the urgent
reclamation project results in the loss of issues that threaten their abode, livelihood and
fishing livelihood among the fishermen. very lives of their families and become a force
capable of determining their own course of
The project partners development.
with the Calajoan
Women’s Organization,
Tulay Women’s
Organization, Tungkop
Women’s Organization
and the Nagpakabanang
Kababa- yen-an sa Tungkil.
Their members and other
residents may be affected
by the reclamation
project.
Other issues
affecting the women
include poverty, lack of
social services from the
government, unemploy-
ment, and cases of
violence against women
and children. The Cebu Cordova Link Expressway
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 Reactivating Women’s Organizations
The Suba Women’s Organization
during its meeting on March 25, 2021
Meetings of the organizations were called
by the Women’s Resource Center of Visayas, Inc.
(WRCV) to present and discuss the project. The
WRCV also presented the coming seminars and
trainings to be held. The members
enthusiastically welcomed the project and looked
forward to strengthening their organizations so
that they can collectively assert their rights and
work for their welfare.
As an initial process to strengthen and
empower the organizations, the WRCV
conducted organizational development among
them. The four organizations in Minglanilla
were able to review their respective
constitutions, reviewed their past activities, and
conducted organizational planning. These
organizations were accredited with the
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
before 2020.
The Calajoan Women’s Organization in its
monthly meeting on March 15, 2021.
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These four organizations had also already
obtained Barangay Resolutions that the
barangays recognize the organizations as
legitimate and representing the women’s sector.
They obtained these before 2020.
On the other hand, the Suba Women’s
Organization, the Sawang Calero Organization
and Nagkahiusang Kababayen-an sa South
Poblacion in San Fernando have started to draft
their constitutions and by-laws and prepare the
necessary documents for the accreditation of
their organizations with the DOLE. These three
women’s organizations have applied for their
Certificates of Recognition from their respective
barangay local government units (LGUs). They
are just waiting for the release of the
Certificates.
The Certificates of Recognition and
Barangay Resolutions certify that they are
recognized by their LGUs.
The certificates from the LGUs and the
DOLE will enhance their legitimacy and enable
them to represent the women’s sector in their
barangays during their sessions of the legislative
councils and in other meetings involving the civil
society.
 General Assemblies and Women’s Month
Celebration Held

The Tulay Women’s Organization in its General Assembly on March 23, 2021.

The Nagkabakanang Kababayen-an sa Tungkil during its General Assembly on March 27, 2021

In order to reaffirm their vision and goals and ascertain their membership, all seven
organizations had their general assemblies in March 2021 which were also held in celebration of
the National Women’s Month in March. A total of 412 participants attended the general
assemblies.

The assemblies were a fitting celebration of the 2021 National Women’s Month
Celebration which serves as a tribute, a platform, and a call to action for Filipino women in
society as agents of change. The assemblies were venues to discuss and address the issues that
women continue to face so empowerment can be fully achieved. The organizations called for
concrete, sustainable, and inclusive actions towards gender equality.

The theme for the 2021 National Women’s Month celebration was: We make change
work for women. Juana Laban sa Pandemya: Kaya!
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 Courtesy Calls with Barangay Officials Conducted
Courtesy calls of the barangay captains in the project sites were conducted last January
2021. They include the following, namely: Desiderio V. Tan of Tungkop, Romulo Laput of Tulay,
Joey Edgar Camota of Tungkil, Loreto Balorio of Calajoan, Joel Sable of Suba, Sergio S. Ocana of
Sawang Calero, and Dioscoro Esbra of South Poblacion.

The WRCV staff introduced the WRCV and its mission and goals to provide support
services to organizing and education work among their members through awareness raising,
capacity building, resource building and popularization regarding their issues. It also discussed
the project and its objectives with the barangay captains.

As a result, the barangay captains expressed their support for the project. Tungkop
Barangay Captain Desiderio V. Tan issued a Certification on February 17, 2021 to vouch the
veracity of the existence of WRCV in Tungkop.

The Sawang Calero Sangguniang Barangay adopted Resolution No. 002-023 in its special
session on February 8, 2021 that it acknowledges the WRCV in its barangay.

The barangay captains also assured the WRCV that the barangay facilities such as the
barangay hall and covered court can be used for the project activities.

WRCV staff with

Sawang Calero
Barangay Captain
Sergio S. Ocaña
during a courtesy
call on January 5,
2021.

Courtesy call with

Calajoan
Barangay Captain
Loreto H. Balorio
on January 7,
2021.

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 Situation of project areas
Sitio Lawis, South Poblacion, San Fernando, a project area.
Municipality of San Fernando
San Fernando is a second class
municipality in the province of Cebu. It is
located 29 kilometers from Cebu City in the
southeastern coast. On its north is the
Municipality of Carcar, on its west is the
Municipality of Pinamungajan, on its south
is the Municipality of Naga, and on its east
is the Cebu Strait.
According to the 2020 census, San
Fernando has a population of 72,224
people. It has a total land area of 69.39 km2
with 21 constituent barangays- smaller
political units after municipality. The
program is focused only on Barangay South
Poblacion.
Barangay South Poblacion has 8 sitios
and 19 puroks, and has a total population of
8,494 with over 5,470 who are registered
voters. Two big cement companies in Cebu
are located in the barangay. Taiheyo
Cement Company and Mabuhay Cement
Company transport their products of
cement to other provinces in a port located
in the barangay. Interisland vessels also
dock in the same port.
6
Consequently, these companies are the
main sources of income for majority of the people
in Barangay South Poblacion. Other sources of
income include being cashiers and baggers for big
stores in the area, staff in the municipal hall,
entrepreneurial work, public vehicle drivers,
construction workers and odd jobs.
Especially for Sitio Lower Luknay and
Lawis which are situated in the coastal area of
Barangay South Poblacion, fishing is their primary
source of income. Ironically, despite the
technological advancements, there is still lack of
basic machineries and systems for fishing. Some
fishermen don’t have their own fishing vessels but
rent small pump boats as well as fishing nets.
The Nagkahiusang Kababayen-an sa South
Poblacion which has 121 members has been
working for five years to improve the conditions of
the people. The organization is the project
partner.
Houses in Sitio Lawis
Municipality of Minglanilla
Minglanilla is a first class municipality
located 15 kilometers southeastern part from
Cebu City. It is bounded by the Bohol strait on
its west, Toledo City on it west, Talisay City on
its north, and City of Naga on its south. The
municipality has an estimated total land area of
16, 560 hectares. Its total population reaches
132,135 with a total number of households of
24,830.
Currently, Minglanilla is considered as one
of the fast-growing municipalities in Cebu with
a total of 19 barangays.
The project sites include Barangays Calajoan,
Tungkil, Tulay and Tungkop. They are the only
four barangays in Minglanilla which have
coastal communities. These communities are
mostly likely to be affected with the
construction of the Minglanilla Reclamation
Project. These are the communities where the
project will be implemented.
Cebu City
Cebu City has 80 barangays. The project
sites include Barangay Suba and Barangay
Sawang Calero. These two barangays typify
urban poor barangays. Majority of the houses
are congested, constructed with both light
with a mixture of wood and cement and
galvanized iron for roofs, or any scrap materials
which can easily be dismantled.
A coastline community in Calajoan, Minglanilla, a project area.
7
Sources of water may be from public faucets
and mineral water is used for drinking. For
homes that do not have their own toilets,
waste is wrapped in old plastics and either
piled up together with the garbage heap or
thrown directly to the sea.
The project shall be implemented
among families who suffer from the
congestion, poor environmental sanitation and
live in difficult conditions.
Jobs are varied, including white collar
workers such as sales and clerical workers and
small proprietors engaged in small businesses,
unskilled laborers who engage in such jobs as
pier hands, janitors, factory workers, drivers,
plumbers, electricians, painters or carpenters.
Women are commonly small food vendors,
laundry women, and makers of hanging rice.
Child labor may also be seen in these areas;
children are forced to contribute to the
family's meager income by engaging in work
that needs minimal or no skills at all like
peddling newspapers, scavenging and begging
in the streets.
Many work more than the minimum of
eight hours per day including weekends. In
times of difficulty, they resort to credit in sari-
sari stores or loan sharks for basic necessities
and pay when able; others get assistance from
relatives, neighbors, and friends. Expenses are
restricted to only the very basic needs of food,
water, fuel, clothing, utilities and
transportation.
 Portion of Sawang Calero Block 7, a project area
Thus, the urban poor settlers in the project areas are generally economically exploited
persons who spend much of their time to earn a living and live just enough to survive. Those who
are employed may receive a pay below the minimum wage mandated by law. With the present
passage of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) of the Duterte government,
prices of basic commodities have increased in alarming proportions and their situation has
become much worse with inflation and the rising cost of living.
The anxieties of the people on what the future lies for them if they are eventually
displaced compound their current harsh economic situation of struggling to survive. The people,
including the women face a situation of underdevelopment with limited opportunities to improve
their life.
Thus, this project is conceived in the hope that provided with initiatives, education, training
and other measures that will organize, empower and strengthen their organizations, the women in
the project areas can stand up to their basic human rights and collectively address the urgent
issues that threaten their abode, livelihood and very lives of their families and become a force
capable of determining their own course of development.

WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTER OF VISAYAS, INC.

Empowering grassroots women

The Women’s Resource Center of Visayas, Inc. is a non-government
organization based in Cebu City which provides support services to
organizing and education work among grassroots women through
awareness raising, capacity building, resource building, and
popularization of their concerns in selected marginalized communities
in Metro Cebu and other parts of Cebu Province and the Visayas.
Office: 2681 V. Rama Ave. Tel. no. 032-261-0171
Guadalupe, Cebu City email: wrcv_cebu@yahoo.com
Philippines