UCAB’S POCKET MINERS COOP PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY, WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

July 27, 2024 Provincial

Project Be-e… First in Benguet

ITOGON, Benguet

Smallscale miners’ LowerGomok MultipurposeCooperative (LGMPC) ofBarangay Ucab sustained itssupport to residents of thismining town by turning over arehabilitated comfort roomsfor women at LaurencioFianza National High School(LFNHS) in BarangayDalupirip here.The turnover and signingof the Memorandum ofAgreement (MoA) were led byEugenio Tuguinay, Sr ( LGMPCBOD- Chairperson) and JoeCaw-as (LGMPC GeneralManager) and EmilynBugnosen Agapen (LGMPCGAD Committee Officer) andNancy Costina (LFNHSSchool Head) and Carmen
Sotero.

The activity was held on July 22 at LFNHS grounds witnessed by Barangay Dalupirip Kagawad Ricardo Sukaw, Committee Education infrastructure; DSWD-CAR staff Jobelle Batanes and Charmaine Molintas Likigan ,Benguet Congressional Staff, and Marionito Lisayen, Executive Assistant of Itogon Municipal Mayor. The rationale behind this project is multifaceted and addresses several important aspects of promoting gender equality and women’s
empowerment, said Emilyn Agapen.

Firstly, menstrual hygiene is a critical aspect of women’s health and well-being, yet it is often overlooked or
stigmatized in many societies. Agapen explained that by providing a menstrual hygiene comfort room in the school will help to break down these social taboos and create a safe and inclusive environment for students to manage their menstrual needs. Secondly, the lack of access to adequate menstrual hygiene facilities is a significant barrier to girls’ education, particularly in developing countries.

According to UNICEF, one in 10 girls miss school during their periods due to lack of access to sanitation facilities (UNICEF, 2019). By providing a menstrual hygiene comfort room, we can help to reduce absenteeism and improve
girls’ attendance and academic performance. Thirdly, the project will promote gender equality by recognizing the importance of menstrual hygiene as a critical aspect of women’s health and dignity and acknowledging that
women’s bodies are worthy of respect and care.

Lastly, the project will also have positive impacts on mental health that can help to reduce stress and anxiety and promote overall wellbeing. Furthermore, the project started when the coop’s social audit committee visited the school regarding the donation of construction materials given by LGMPC, and noticed the old exclusive menstrual comfort room. School officials told the coop the availability of rooms that can be turned into a menstrual hygiene comfort room.

As a GAD officer that promotes women empowerment, we presented this unique and first in Benguet menstrual hygiene cr project concept during our enbanc meeting, gladly this was strongly supported by the committee on education, the social audit committee, the manager and all members of the board, Agapen said. Based on obtained data, this duly registered small-scale miners’ coop (LGMPC) was established in 2011, and officially started its business on February 2013. The Cooperative then acquired a titled lot with an area of 159 square meters, establishing its main building located at Upper Tram, Ucab, Itogon. The construction of the main building was made possible through the “Bayanihan system” by its members.

Primo Agatep/ABN