by JMD Abangan

Davao City (28 February) -- If given the chance, women can certainly make a difference.

Day Care Center worker Marilyn C. Pino has made a dent in making the Food-for-school Day Care-based program, a success in Barangay Sto., Talaingod in Davao del Norte.

Teresita A. Luna of Dona Asuncion, Buhangin, Davao City has delivered right at her community basic commodities thus making her own family's life a little more abundant than before while also helping others.

Pino and Luna are just few of the women who have come forward and took part in pushing community service for development as partners of government programs and projects for women.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is taking the lead in empowering women to participate and get involve in community affairs.

Among the DSWD interventions which have gained strong involvement of the women sector are the Self-Employment Assistance Kaunlaran (SEA-K), Kapit-bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services: Kapangyarihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay (KALAHI-CIDSS KKB), Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI), Food-for-school Day Care-based Program, and Tindahan Natin.

Success in running these programs and projects in the community has been made possible because women have backed them up.

The Panagtigum sa mga Kababayen-an (women congress) organized yesterday by DSWD XI that anchored on the theme "Kababayenhan, Nakiglambigit alang sa Kalambuan" (Women: Participating in Development), recognized exemplary contribution of women in implementing government programs.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo graced the occasion to hand over the awards.

A mother of three, the English major graduate 34-year old Pino was awarded the best day care worker for showing consistently high performance level when she underwent the assessment for accreditation of the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) program.

The Sto. Nino Day Care Center has been found to have achieved excellence in its implementation of the Food-for-school Program due to the supervision of Pino who holds two sessions in a day just to accommodate 90 children enrolled at the day care center.

"The success of every government's program is very much appreciated if everybody does his or her work diligently," Pino said. "After all our mission is to do better for the welfare of our children and to share what we can do for the development of our community," she added.

Luna was recognized as the Best Tindahan Natin operator for having made her Tindahan Natin substantially flourish after a year.

Aside from raking in additional income for her family, she has provided her lowly neighbors and other members of her community access to much affordable basic commodities especially rice.

"Dahil sa Tindahan Natin marami po ang nagpapasalamat at silay naka avail ng murang bigas at dahil din dtto malaking tulong hindi lamang sa aking pamilya pati na rin sa mga pamilya sa aming barangay," Luna said.

The Magdum SEA-K got the Best SEA-K award for having extended financial and moral services to the community through its micro-finance project and women empowerment programs.