TACLOBAN CITY – A resolution was unanimously passed by the members of the provincial board of Leyte commending Representative Janette Loreto-Garin for being cited as one of the top 100 women in the world in pro-women advocacy.
The resolution was authored by Board Member Deborah Bertulfo, chair on the committee on women, citing the achievement of Garin who was recognized by an international organization for her works to uplift the living condition and educate women on their rights and to choose what is good for their own body as far as reproductive health education is concerned.
Garin are among those who were cited by the New York- based organization Women Deliver as among those who had helped their cause to provide solution and action on the problem of maternal deaths.
Women Deliver was launched in 2007 and works globally to generate political commitment and financial investment for fulfilling Millenium Development Goal Number 5 which is to reduce maternal mortality and achieve universal access to reproductive health that will fight to end the deluge of preventable deaths that kill approximately 350,000 girls and women from pregnancy-related causes every year.
Garin, who is a cousin of Leyte Governor Jericho “Icot” Petilla and sister of Board Member Carlo Loreto, is the incumbent congresswoman of Iloilo’s first district.
Garin, who was the first elected Sangguniang Kabataan Provincial Federation, president became a member of the provincial board of Leyte where she sit as an ex-officio member in 1993.
By profession, Garin is a medical doctor.
As a member of the House of Representative, she is the deputy majority floor leader and one of the main authors of the Reproductive Health Bill which draws criticism and being opposed by the powerful Roman Catholic Church and other pro-life advocates.
In the website of Women Deliver it said that “Garin is the co-author of the Reproductive Health Care and Population Development (RH) bill, which is poised to transform the lives of every woman in the Philippines. In this deeply Catholic country, where opposition to family planning and sex education runs strong, and 11 women die each day of preventable causes related to pregnancy or childbirth, Garin’s RH bill would, for the first time, provide universal access to family planning methods as well as comprehensive sex education in schools.”
In an interview with Garin’s elder brother Board Member Loreto, he revealed that his sister at first did not take the award seriously as she taught that it was just one of the “spam mails” that was sent through her e-mail.
“But when she read it on newspaper and heard over the news, she said that she realized that it was indeed true and she felt relieved and vindicated on her advocacy to promote women’s health right and prevents maternal death through the help of reproductive health bill,” Loreto said.
Loreto added that said recognition by an international body is something all should be proud of as the effort of her sister to help her Filipino women to ensure that they will have a heathier life through the healh services that will be provided by the reproductive health bill was not only recognized locally but internationally.
“This recognition is something that we can be proud of because this can only be earned through hard work, dedication and a big heart,” he stressed.
Loreto added that said resolution will be forwarded to the office of Rep.Garin and to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Iloilo. (ROEL AMAZONA)
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