GMA declares ‘women and sports month’

President Arroyo has issued Proclamation No. 286 declaring the month of November 2002 as "Women and Sports Month" which will be highlighted by the staging of the first ever Philippine Congress on Women and Sports slated Nov. 21 to 24 at the Tagaytay International Convention Center in Tagaytay City. The theme of the event is "Converging the Divergence of Philippine Womensports: Issues, Actions and Initiatives."

The President directed "all heads of department, bureaus, offices, agencies, local government units, government-owned and controlled corporations and instrumentalities of the government, particularly the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, to give full assistance to the organizing committee of the first Philippine Congress on Women and Sports."

The President, herself a woman of varied sports interests, also requested "non-governmental organizations, the Philippine Olympic Committee and the private sector to lend their support in making the Congress succeed as the main forum for discussing and addressing issues and concerns relating to gender equity and the needs of female athletes and leadership, as well as the role of women in sports.

The event is sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, Pagcor, Uniliver, PCSO, Department of Tourism, DILG, Femina, PLDT, San Miguel Corporation, Nextel, Boehringer Ingelheim, Web Phils., Microtel Inn & Suites, Net 25, Manila Times, Woman Today and the City of Tagaytay.