Belmonte vows more programs for women

QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Sunday vowed to further strengthen programs and initiatives that empower women and provide opportunities for their growth and success.

Belmonte highlighted during her State of the Women's Address the fruits of the city government's sustained efforts to create inclusive opportunities for women across various sectors through economic empowerment, education, and health, among others.

"Our women are now more financially capable and independent. According to our online business registry, we have over 4, 000 women who are engaged in business compared to 2021," said Belmonte as she joined the celebration of International Women's Day and National Women's Month.

For over 70,000 business establishments in the city, 40 percent of them are owned or managed by women and that give jobs to over 200,000 women "QCitizens," she added.

Through the city's Public Employment Service Office, Belmonte said the city government has provided more than 31,000 jobs to women, allowing them to earn for their family's needs.

As part of her belief that education is the great equalizer, Belmonte emphasized that the city government continues to expand educational opportunities for female students through various programs.

Out of more than 3,000 graduates last year, 63 percent were female and now are fully equipped to join the country's workforce, the mayor said.

From 2019 to 2024, more than 39,000 scholars from senior high school to post-graduate studies were supported by the Belmonte administration, with 64 percent of them being women.

She said the local government has been committed to addressing the leading causes of death among women — hypertension, pneumonia, and diabetes — through free medical check-ups, provision of maintenance medicines, administration of pneumococcal vaccines, and promotion of nutrition education in health centers.

Efforts have also been stepped up by the city government to address Violence Against Women (VAW) cases through information dissemination, and promotion of Helpline 122 to encourage women to report abuse cases, the city chief executive said.