The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Caraga relaunched it’s Korambusan Fair last March 25, 2021, as part of this year’s National Women’s Month (NWM) Celebration.

 

The said celebration was placed on hold in 2020 when the country was struck by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Field Office decided to cancel few activities that might contribute to the increase of the number of confirmed cases. One of which includes the Korambusan fair, a highlight activity for the National Women’s Month Celebration.

 

After a year of adjusting and applying the necessary minimum standard health protocols, the Korambusan fair was again included in this year’s celebration. The Protective Services Division, which heads the NWM celebration, made sure that everything was prepared, including the necessary health and safety standards preparations.

 

The word Korambusan is derived from the word “Korambus” which means pooling or sharing of resources, talents, and skills of all Field Office staffs to celebrate a certain special occasion. This activity aims to pay tribute to the women’s efforts on extending their support and valuable contributions to the successful implementation of the Department’s programs and services.

 

This year’s celebration marks the 5^th conduct of the Korambusan fair. During the 2-day event, various contests were conducted, namely: Installation of Korambusan Booth Per Division, Quiz Bowl, Advocacy in Action, and Kahoot Challenge. The winners of each contests are as follows:

 

Booth Contest:

1^st – Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

2^nd– Policy and Plans Division

3^rd – Protective Services Division

 

Quiz Bowl:

1^st – Disaster Response Management Division

2^nd – Human Resource and Management Section

3^rd – Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

 

 

 

 

Kahoot Challenge:

1^st – Office of the Regional Director

2^nd– Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

3^rd – Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services

 

 

 

 

Advocacy in Action:

1^st – Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services

2^nd – Regional Learning Center

 

 

 

 

Other activities intended for the celebration of the NWM were also conducted and participated by the DSWD FO based staff. These includes Purple Your Corner Contest, Tree Planting, ZOOMBa, and Womentum.

 

Purple Your Corner Winners:

1st – Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

2^nd – Office of the Regional Director

3^rd – Sustainable Livelihood Program

 

 

 

 

Additionally, the Men Opposed to Violence Everywhere (MOVE) expressed their own version of the official hashtag – #ChooseToChallenge during the conduct of the Tree Planting Activity at Abilan, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte, led by the Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD).

 

 

 

 

 

All DSWD FO based staff also joined the ZOOMBa, which featured the nationwide campaign song for the NWM ZOOMBa, titled “Isang Milyong Babae ang Babangon”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Women Momentum, dubbed as Womentum, was also held with its official hashtag #JuanaBidaKaSaCaraga. Four (4) empowered women shared their experiences in the fight against Trafficking and Violence against Women and Children in the region. These four women are Benjilieta P. Notada, M.D, a Medico-Legal Officer/MHO at Taganaan, Rural Health Unit; Pros. Noreen T. Ato, Assistant Provincial Prosecutor in Agusan del Norte; Pros. Leilani C. Empeso, Deputy City Prosecutor in Butuan City; and Maria Christine G. Mordeno, M.D., Medical Officer III at the Agusan del Norte Provincial Hospital, Butuan City.

 

 

 

 

In the conduct of all these events, DSWD FO Caraga made sure to apply the minimum standard health protocols mandated by the Department of Health (DOH), such as wearing face mask and maintaining social distancing. Even in this challenging time brought about by the pandemic, DSWD FO Caraga has proven that not even a universal outbreak can pause the campaign for women empowerment.