In celebration of National Women’s Month, the Centers and Residential Care Facilities (CRCFs) of DSWD Field Office 7 converged to hold the annual Miss Juana pageant at the Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center (AVRC) II covered court on March 1, 2024, an activity that kicked-off the month-long observance of advocacy for women.
Now in its second year, the inter-CRCF pageant pays tribute to women temporarily sheltered in the centers for their courage and resilience to experience different life’s challenges. It is also a fitting intervention to support Women’s Month by creating a platform where women can show their confidence and encourage empowerment.
Six (6) ladies from the AVRC II, Home for Girls, and Regional Haven for Women (RHW) vied for the title of Miss Juana 2024 by competing in various segments of the competition, like the production number, talent presentation, long gown, fashion show of their chosen career outfit, and the question and answer portion.
The pageant also chose the candidate with the most personality, beauty, grooming, fashion sense, confidence, and the most captivating smile for the Miss Photogenic award.
Miss Juana is a timely activity to commence Women’s Month, carrying the theme Lipunang Patas sa Bagong Pilipinas” Kakayahan ng Kababaihan, Patutunayan! It enables women from the CRCFs to take pride in themselves.
“We are thrilled to continue this noble mission devoted to acknowledging exceptional women within our community who embody strength and resilience. Our journey towards empowerment, equity, diversity, and inclusion served as potent forces propelling positive transformations,” said Florita Dabon, OIC-Center Head of AVRC II, in her opening remarks.
RHW resident wins Miss Juana
The 25-year-old resident of RHW, who was recently crowned Miss Valentines, bagged the crown of Miss Juana 2024.
According to her bio, she grew up as an orphan with no siblings. But this does not stop her from pursuing a college education. She participated in a government scholarship program and finished her degree with a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology.
She came to the center by referral because of psychological abuse from her partner, who eventually left her. The abuse she got from her partner and the trauma of being left alone further led her to suffer depression.
As she is going through rehabilitation inside the center with her 7-month-old child, she hopes to raise her child purposefully while continuing to learn something new for herself. She believes that a delightful meal brings people together, and she wants to focus on improving her skills in cooking while working to become a firefighter one day.
She spends her spare time reading books and listening to spoken poetry online. She recited a poem that tells the story of how women in society are perceived and how women fought to take up space to get a seat at the table during her talent presentation.
During the question and answer, the judge asked about her dream for women, and she said, “I want them to feel safe, feel connected, and feel appreciated for their contribution to society. I also want them to be free from biases, judgments, discrimination, and any form of violence.”
As Miss Juana, she has to carry out the advocacy of Women’s Month among her fellow contestants, residents, and clients of the CRCFs.
Pageant is a women’s advocacy
DSWD 7 takes pride in holding a venue and highlighting female clients and residents of its CRCFs as a best practice. The RHW initiated this advocacy as an integral part of women’s rehabilitation at the center.
Hence, they deemed it crucial to share this collective responsibility of pushing for more inclusive advocacy by not solely focusing on women inside RHW but involving others in the community.
According to Ananisa F. Aviso, center head of RHW and focal person for women’s welfare programs, Women’s Month emphasizes “we,” which means women and everyone have a stake in promoting women’s rights, and the Miss Juana pageant gives a fitting venue for women to celebrate themselves.
Miss Juana in 2023, former AVRC II trainee, relinquished the crown to the new queen. As a victim-survivor of abuse, she felt proud to have shared the year advocating for gender equality and women’s empowerment. She is now an on-the-job trainee to the chef in one of the hotels in Cebu City after graduating from a commercial cooking program at the AVRC II.
DSWD hopes that through this advocacy platform, women in difficult circumstances will rise from the challenges as they carry the lessons learned from the competition while proving themselves worthy of society’s admiration and respect. ###
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