Zonta District 17 Area 3 Meeting Brings Together Visayas and Mindanao Delegates

Delegates from 11 Zonta Clubs under District 17 Area 3 will gather at Nustar Resort in Cebu City from January 26-28, 2024, to address women empowerment issues.

Hosted by Zonta Clubs of Cebu 1 and 2, the event, themed “Women + Education + Entrepreneurship + Equitable Access = Empower-Her,” will focus on education, entrepreneurship, and fair access to resources.

“Empowering women is not only a moral imperative but also a catalyst for social and economic progress,” said IPP Petite Garcia, the organizing chair of the Area 3 Meeting.

On the evening of January 26, 2024, a welcome dinner will follow the District Officers meeting. The opening ceremony of the Area 3 meeting will take place the next day, January 27, 2024.

Atty. Myrish Cadapan-Antonio, Co-Founder and CEO of the Philippine Living Heritage Initiative, will be the keynote speaker. Atty. Cadapan-Antonio previously served as Deputy Legal Counsel and Director of the Dr. Jovito R. Salonga Center for Law and Development at Silliman University. She currently serves on the boards of the Harvard Club of the Philippines Global, Save One Life, and Khan Academy Philippines.

Mader Perci Cendaña, former Commissioner of the Philippine National Youth Commission, will deliver a motivational message on “Celebrating Differences … Towards a more Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Zonta” at the end of the business meeting on January 27. Cendaña, the first openly gay Chairperson of the UP Diliman University Student Council, is a consultant for the Quezon City GAD Council and QC Pride Council, and the immediate past president of Babaylanes Inc.

Three simultaneous workshops on January 27 will delve into the theme of Education, Entrepreneurship, and Equitable Access as tools to empower women. Participants will explore strategies to enhance educational opportunities, improve access to quality education, and overcome barriers hindering women’s progress.

The workshop speakers are Atty. Joan S. Largo, Vice President for Administration of the University of San Carlos; Ms. Laurie Boquiren, Marketing and R&D Director of Castilex Industrial Corp. and CEO/Founder of Jamaica Markets Corp.; and Atty. Mylen Gonzales-Esquivel, Executive Director at Child Justice League Inc.

“We hope to strengthen our bond and resolve to consistently collaborate with each other to collectively, as an Area, and individually, as clubs, effect transformational change in our respective communities and spheres of influence,” explains Area 3 Director Ma. Teresa Chan.

SOURCE: Zonta District 17 Area 3 meeting to gather delegates from Visayas and Mindanao