Recognized worldwide for their role in agriculture and in the development of rural and national economies, rural women comprise 43% of the agricultural labor force which rises to 70% in some countries.
In the Philippines, women farmers and fisherfolk can be found in the various segment of the value chain of agribusiness. They are engaged in the production, post-harvest, processing, marketing and trading of goods and services.
To give due recognition to rural women who have shown excellence in their fields of endeavor in agriculture and fisheries sectors, the Department of Agriculture (DA) will honor today the 2017 Gawad Parangal sa Katangi-Tanging Kababaihan sa Pagsasaka at Pangingisda sa Kanayunan (Outstanding Rural Women) in an awarding ceremony at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management in Diliman, Quezon City.
The nationwide Search for Outstanding Rural Women is an annual eventof the DA’s Gender and Development (GAD) Program headed by GAD Focal Point System Chairperson Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat. It is being implemented since 2003, pursuant to the provision of the Magna Carta of Women (MCW) for the DA to empower the marginalized sector. The nominee should be a farmer or fisher whose land holdings do not exceed three hectares.
The nominees were evaluated based on the following criteria: contribution to food security/agricultural and fishery development: productivity, profitability of economic activities, and quality of products/services (30%); contribution to sustainable development: efforts to protect the environment, efforts to adapt climate change, innovativeness and creativity (30%); and impact to rural development: promotion of women empowerment and gender equality, improvement in family life, excellence in character and ability to hurdle difficulties, and contribution to local economy (40%).
Out of the 14 nominees from the DA regional field offices, eight finalists were selected to receive trophies, plaques and a total of ₱375,000 cash prizes. Additional incentive of P25,000 shall be given to the agricultural extension worker of the national winner.
This year’s Outstanding Rural Women winner Rebecca Sanchez-Purisima of Tigaon, Camarines Sur will receive a cash prize of ₱150,000 and additional prize in the form of project or interventions such as production inputs, farm machinery or postharvest facility and others that are available in the DA-RFO programs. Vivian Navarro-Taniza of San Mateo, Isabela and Lilibeth Puerto-Galendez of Maramag, Bukidnon will respectively receive ₱100,000 and ₱75,000 as second and third placers. Consolation prize of P10,000.00 each will be awarded to Amelia Yasay Bautista of Banna, Ilocos Norte; Josephine Bulandoz-Perlas of Palayan City, Nueva Ecija; Sofia Gayarez-Fabillar of Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro; Elizabeth Arceta-Sol of Leganes, Iloilo; and Josefina Colonia-Aranjuez of Carmen, Davao Del Norte. Aside from the cash prizes, the eight awardees will also receive trophies and plaques.
The Board of Judges for this year’s search is composed of Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Rosalina L. Bistoyong, chairperson; Land Bank of the Philippines First Vice-President for Corporate Affairs Catherine Rowena B. Villanueva; DA-Bureau of Plant Industry Assistant Director Jennifer Remoquillo, PCW Executive Director Emmeline Versoza, and Pambansang Koalisyonng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan Secretary-General Amparo Miciano. ### (DA-AFID/Photo by Ardy Tompong)
