Villar launches ‘pay-it-forward’ initiative for Women’s Month

MANILA, Philippines — For this year’s Women’s Month, House Deputy Speaker Camille Villar launched the Pasa-Tulong initiative to encourage residents of Las Piñas City to pass acts of kindness to another person and spark the spirit of compassion and generosity.

The program is adapted from the movie “Pay it Forward,” which introduced the concept that when someone does something good to you, you don’t pay it back but instead pass it on to another person.

The Las Piñas lawmaker picked Librada “Nanay Libreng” Romero, a street sweeper member-volunteer of the Kaagapay sa Kalinisan at Kagandahan ng Las Piñas group, as one of her beneficiaries and gave her a P15,000 capital to open a small sari-sari store, which she had long wanted to own.

To pay forward Villar’s good deed, Nanay Libreng shared part of her earnings from the sari-sari store with her daughter-in-law Elena, who opened her own soft drink retail business. She also let her use a space in her property as storage area for her beverages.

Elena passed on her good fortune to her sister-in-law Mary Grace, who has four children and whose husband works as a truck driver at the CENRO Las Piñas office. Mary Grace used the financial assistance from Elena to start her retail home-made dishwashing soap business.

In turn, Mary Grace helped her daughter Ricka jumpstart her own mini donut business.

Filipina warrior

Villar does not only support other women through special assistance programs, but also fights for them.

In 2021 during the 18th Congress, she sought an investigation into the surge in the cases of gender-based violence during the pandemic and called for immediate measures to protect women and children.

House Resolution 1581 cited research materials suggesting that harassment and sexual violence of women and children increase during and after any crisis or disaster. Experts have likewise described the situation as a pandemic within a pandemic, as victims are trapped at home during lockdowns.

“We need to tackle this issue as this seems to be neglected, and victims are left with their abusers at home. We also need to determine the possible and immediate measures to mitigate the effects of violence and strengthen support services for the victims,” Villar said in HRN 1581.

Earlier this year, Villar filed House Bill 9810, proposing the enactment of the Women’s Business Enterprise Act to promote the interests of and enhance the entrepreneurial skills of Filipino women.

The proposed legislative measure also seeks to facilitate, preserve and strengthen women’s business enterprises and ensure their full participation in the free enterprise system.

“We should all work together to ensure that Filipino women are extended the same opportunities to contribute to nation-building similar to those extended to men. This is enshrined in our Constitution, and the government must fulfill this mandate,” Villar said.