Mandaluyong City. The month of March commemorates the important role of Women not only in the Philippines but around the globe. The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) joins the 2021 National Women’s Month Celebration which serves as a tribute, a platform, and a call to action that highlights the extraordinary roles of ordinary women in the society as trailblazers and harbingers of change. This celebration is also a venue to discuss and address the issues that women continue to face so empowerment can be fully achieved. The campaign is also a call for concrete, sustainable, and inclusive actions towards gender equality.
Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) celebrated the National Women’s Month with activities that honor women of the PCSO and of the Filipino Society in general. For three consecutive Mondays of the month, PCSO invited distinguished guests to speak about the important contributions of women to uplift the Pinoy household, the bureaucracy and the nation during the flag honoring ceremony.
On March 1, 2021, during the flag honoring ceremony, the distinguished guests was Ms. Sandra S. Montano, Chairperson of the Philippine Commission on Women, who described the importance not only of the female gender but also of its counterpart, the male gender, in working together towards nation-building. She encouraged everyone to support women in their fight for equality and inclusions.
In her speech, PCSO Vice Chairperson and General Manager Royina M. Garma praised the officers and employees who braved the Covid outbreak last year; “It is but fitting to recognize the unselfish acts of our PCSO officials and employees, particularly the Juanas here, who braved the dreaded Corona Virus just to be sure that people needing assistance from PCSO were attended to…especially our Branch Managers and employees who did not close the doors of our offices but they were there despite the effect of the virus…patuloy po silang nagbigay ng assistance.” GM Garma also commended the guest female Lotto agents, “for without you, PCSO would not have been able to contribute to the national effort of providing relief to displaced Filipino families.” She ended her message saying, “Happy Women’s Month to all women! Let us recognize and celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and let us support women as the sustaining force of our society.”
Judge Emily L. San Gaspar – Gito of the Manila Regional Trial Court, Branch 5 is the guest speaker on the March 8, 2021, program. In her message, she shared that when she speaks of “women’s right” people meant to be sensitive. “Sometimes it has the appearance of a battle between the 2 sexes but we must emphasize we are not here to aspire for supremacy, we are here only to post part for gender equality. That is women’s month – to ensure that everyone will understand the rights of women as well as gender equality.” At the end of her speech, she encourages everyone saying, “Empower your women by educating them, recognizing them, build them confidence and make them independent. That is how we empower women.”
Meanwhile, PCSO Board of Director, Ms. Sandra Cam, one of the honored Juanas of the agency, is the guest speaker on 15, 2021, the 3rd Monday of the activity. In her speech, she praised the “Wonder Juanas” as an addition to the modern heroes for fulfilling extraordinary roles in our society. She said that no matter what, we should continue making change, work for women even in the face of any kind of struggles and challenges for the betterment of our society by way of gender equality.
On that three-week activities, Juana lotto agents and PCSO employees were awarded with certificates that serves as proof of their dedication and loyalty to PCSO. In the National Capital Region (NCR) and Southern Tagalog and Bicol Region (STBR), the awardees are the Top 10 Juana Lotto agents in their respective areas namely Lourdes Antigua (Pasay), Juanita Cruz (San Juan), Grace De Paz (Caloocan), Evelyn Guerrero (Caloocan), Nancy Orfanel (Caloocan), Irma Pablo (Malabon), Jenneth Ramos (Malabon), Rhodora Romero (Malabon City), Cecilia Tamayo ( Navotas), Julie Uy (Caloocan), Arlene A. Sarte (Rizal), Ma. Cristina L. Llanto (Laguna), Adora Mercado (Cavite), Shirley Amesola (Camarines Sur), Myrna Buenaventura Uno (Cavite), Julieta Reyes (Batangas), Susan De Leon – Senatin (Rizal), Sylvia Vergara (Batangas), Agripina Amparo (Batangas) and Malyn Chu (Camarines Sur). For the Northern and Central Luzon the awardees are the top 20 longest Juana Lotto Agents which includes Ma. Luisa Pineda (Bulacan), Noemie Taganas (Pangasinan), Nora Chny (Pangasinan), Priscilla Catindig (Bulacan), Sonia Puno (Bulacan), Gloria M. Manalastas (Nueva Ecjia), Leila Sy (Pangasinan), Lea Manaig (Nueva Viscaya), Nicetas Garcia (Zambales), Cecilia Dela Fuente (Bataan), Nenita Domingo (Benguet), Anita Suanding (Benguet), Tricia Lopez (Nueva Ecija), Elizabeth Vargas (Nueva Ecija), Rosario Tomaneng (Cagayan), Vilma Lim (Cagayan), Hazel Aguilar (Zambales), Vivian Guiaya (Zambales) and Celaine Malado (Benguet).
As part of the celebration, the Medical Services Department (MSD) conducted a webinar/seminar wherein Dr. Teresa Maria T. Ribaño, Co-Chairperson of the Philippine Pediatric Society Committee on Breastfeeding was the guest speaker. Dr. Ribaño discussed the relationship of healthy oral hygiene from infancy to childhood that affects a person’s life during adulthood focusing on and explaining the link of the important benefits of breastfeeding among nursing and pregnant mother’s to be to the oral hygiene of babies.
Juanas. PCSO has given away FREE P100.00 worth of MegaLotto 6/45 tickets to 65 Juana lotto players who bought tickets on March 29, 2021 to further honor the women who regularly play PCSO’s Mga Larong may Puso.. The project is dubbed as “MEGA TICKET FOR JUANA”: ISANG PASASALAMAT! The objective of this project is to recognize the little acts of women, their achievements, and women empowerment. While everyone is facing unprecedented challenges, PCSO believes that women are the most affected and bearing the brunt of the 
economic and social fallout brought about by pandemics in honoring all women of today as the agent of change by contributing and promoting gender equality.
The Juana sa Panahon ng Pandemya Photo contest although earlier launched, still focused on the important contributions of women during the height of the pandemic.
