To commemorate the International Day of Women yesterday, hundreds of women in Negros Occidental marched and danced in major streets of Bacolod City calling for the ouster of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and to denounce all forms of violence against women.

Women from various organizations in the province joined hands to denounce political repression, abuses against women and called for an end poverty suffered by women under the present administration.

Rina Amacio, secretary general of the Gabriela-Negros yesterday, said they carried red umbrellas and marched from Rizal Street to the front of the Fountain of Justice in Bacolod City Hall at about 10 a.m. yesterday.

Despite Arroyo's lifting of Presidential Proclamation 1017, Amacio said the repression against women continues and protests and public assemblies were forcibly dispersed, which is unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, Ma. Theresa Lozada, chairperson of Akbayan-Negros Women said they staged a street dancing from the Bacolod Capitol Lagoon to the Bacolod public plaza as their way of commemorating International Women's Day.

Lozada said they wore red and black T-shirts, masks, red headbands to signify their call for Arroyo's immediate resignation.*DMG

back to top