Women have strategically used and relentlessly conceived various methods and schemes to break barriers and untiringly promote gender equality that they may stand at par with their male counterparts.
Through the years history has remarkably generated an immense number of empowered women who were capable of changing the world’s social, industrial, political, and educational landscape where they competently dominated the areas with their notable contributions and significant achievements.
More women are climbing up the ladder giving men a run for their status and consistently accumulating unprecedented accomplishments while simultaneously exhibiting domination and headship in various fields of endeavor. They are unquestionably independent, gutsy, and focused while being competent and career-oriented. Their unremitting determination to succeed is a stark contrast to men’s dawdling progress that put their equiponderant achievements at par and sometimes even above with the latter’s.
To give women the full recognition they truly deserve, the month of March was fittingly earmarked as International Women’s History Month. In this regard, the Pan American Concerned Citizens’ Action League, Inc. (PACCAL) never fails to distinguish and honor outstanding women in the community if only to demonstrate its perpetual support to the revered legacy of the great women leaders and duly identify the unparalleled achievements of today’s female high fliers.
PACCAL does not only duplicate successful events that manifested its worth-praising advocacy in the past but more so to empower the status of womanhood in our current socio-economic setting.
In today’s ever-changing world, a great number of women’s aspirations take various forms while other’s lofty dreams sometimes fail and hopes dwindle… but were able to rise and resume the challenge. They say men’s existence is easily felt and their roles are predictable but women constantly create encouraging challenges while sustaining precise strength and empowerment in myriad ways. Women have not only painstakingly acquired every man’s asset and facet while they (also) masterfully penetrated the world where men initially dwell and dominated.
Despite the paucity of enormously successful and revered key players deserving to be recognized as unfailingly influential in many ways, PACCAL’s Screening Committee, after a deliberate scrutiny of equally commendable nominees, finally named three most revered community figures that excelled and met the criteria. Three women garnered the highest nods that entitled them to be in the most coveted roster of Influential Women…and they are:
Councilwoman-at-Large Joyce Watterman
Helen Castillo
Ollie C. David
Incidentally, this year’s crop of Women Achievers was superfluously interesting since we selected a good number of justifiably stupendous and deserving awardees as follows:
Jocelyn Aligarbes – Excellence in Nursing Profession
Fe Arenasa – Excellence in the Teaching Profession
Rowena Cayetano – Excellence in Physical Fitness
Elsa Mole Lambert – Excellence in Community Service
Dr. Nerissa Malabanan – Excellence in Pediatrics
Loren Martinez – Excellence in Private Enterprise
Paula Morandarte – Excellence in Photography
Maria Pilar Monje – Excellence in Accountancy
Michelle Semana – Vocal Excellence
Sheena Zamora – Terpsichorean Competency
Virginia Cu – Honorary Retired Pedagogue
Bella Estasnislao – Senior Citizen of the Year
Despite winter storm Stella’s excessive pounding and hammering of the Northeast last Tuesday, March 14, with intensifying winds and record-high snowfall that inevitably led to major travel disruptions and business closures, the aftermath failed to dampen the high spirits and morale of people involved in PACCAL’s annual event aimed to celebrate the International Women’s History Month.
On Saturday, March 18, 2017, all avenues lead to Ramada Plaza Hotel, PACCAL’s official formal function venue, along 160 Frontage Road, Newark, NJ. The green-motif occasion that recognizes women’s valuable achievements has former PACCAL Achiever awardee Menchu De Luna Sanchez as this year’s Honorary Chair while prominent social-civic leader and popular event host Ria Serrano takes the chairmanship with Susan Liguori as co-chair.
Current PACCAL president Ramona S. Gapasin gets so ecstatic and overwrought with her initial major event after having assumed the organization’s top post. Her infectiously vigorous leadership keeps her followers equally dynamic and consistently on-the-trail.
Though women were regarded before as the “fairer sex” they never ceased to take courage and remained focus to be in the league of their male counterparts while being guided by a powerful quotation: “Do not follow where the path may lead…Go instead where there’s no path and leave a trail!”
Indubitably, empowered women are here to stay…and more of their tribe is predetermined to greatness.
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