Manay Gina goes solo on the world stage

It’s a long way from the Sampaguita Studios, where she had a fairytale childhood, to the Kenyatta International Convention Center in Nairobi, but Gina de Venecia has bridged the gap — with a rainbow of good intentions.

She used to freeze in front of the microphone during the many showbiz get-togethers her late father hosted in his movie studio. Later as a newbie political wife, she would get migraine attacks before addressing campaign rallies.

 But when she decided to embrace politics as a way of life because she loved and supported her husband, then Pangasinan Rep. Joe de Venecia, Gina de Venecia’s migraine attacks disappeared. She bloomed in her new role as a political wife and used it as a platform to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged women, children and the elderly.

Today, as Joe takes a break from politics, Gina is the representative of the 4th District of Pangasinan. She has also begun to ascend the world stage, making her speaking debut before the recent Global Peace Convention in Nairobi, Kenya. Today until Saturday, she will represent the Philippines in Phnom Penh, Cambodia during the 6th General Assembly of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP).

Kenya

She made many world leaders sit up and take notice when she said in her speech in Kenya that, “World peace can be achieved only on an understanding between the great civilizations.”

“To build lasting peace, nations must continue the global, regional and interfaith dialogues that the Philippines, Iran, and 33 other states had proposed to the UN General Assembly in 2006.  Today, more than 70 nations are co-architects in these global, regional and interfaith dialogues.”

The gathering of global leaders in the fields of politics, business and social entrepreneurs was organized by Dr. Hyun Jin Moon of the Global Peace Foundation, and supported by Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, to promote peace in all cultures.

The other leaders who graced the two-day convention at the Kenyatta International Convention Center were: Sir James Mancham, founding President of Seychelles; Paraguay Sen. Lillian Samaniego; former Philippine Speaker Joe de Venecia;  Congressman Manuel Ferreira of Brazil; Young Sun Song, member of the Korean National Assembly; Ambassador Oscar Alvarez Araya of Costa Rica; Douglas Johnson, president of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, Washington DC; Dr. Markandey Rai, Global Parliamentarian Chair of the UN Habitat; Dr. Eva Latham, president of The Netherlands’ Human Rights Teaching International; Dr. Manu Chandria, founding chairman of the East Africa Business Council; Kenya Archbishop Eliud Wabukala; and American evangelist and writer Dr. Robert Schuller.

In her speech, Mrs. De Venecia also stressed the role of women in nation-building. “We, the women of Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, must be vigilant in uplifting and guaranteeing women’s rights, written in every constitution of the world, that men and women are equal, that we are co-builders of our nations,” she said.

Citing the strong maternal tendencies among Filipinos, Mrs. De Venecia shared the pieces of legislation that warrant the protection of women in the Philippines, particularly the Magna Carta for Women that seeks to eliminate discrimination by recognizing, protecting, fulfilling and promoting the rights of Filipino women.

 “The affirmative impact of this law,” she said, “was reflected in the 2006-2007 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor that stated the Philippines as the only country where women are found to be more active in starting a business than men.”

Mrs. De Venecia herself has solid programs that advance social reforms. She is the founder of four nationwide projects that directly address the problems of abused women and other marginalized sectors. These are The Haven for Women and its 15 regional centers that rehabilitate women-in-crisis; The Haven for Children with four regional centers that shelter streetchildren; The Haven for the Elderly that serves as a refuge for abandoned senior citizens; and the INA Healing Center, a therapeutic center for orphaned mothers. 

She was also instrumental in the setting up of Women’s Desk in all police precincts in 1997, together with then Local Governments Secretary, the late Robert Barbers.

It’s a long way from the Sampaguita Studios, where she had a fairytale childhood, to the Kenyatta International Convention Center in Nairobi, but Gina de Venecia has bridged the gap — with a rainbow of good intentions.

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