awomenan is a longterm documentary project initiated by the Marinduque State College Gender Advancement Unit. With the primary lens of gender and development in the province of Marinduque, Kawomenan seeks to look at the contribution of women in their respective communities. Marinduque, considered to be the center of the Philippines, has only six towns (Sta. Cruz, Buenavista, Mogpog, Boac, Gasan and Torrijos). The idea is, gender concerns and issuers are also human, not only women's. Therefore, from the stereotype that women only does the domestic chores and contribute little, kawomenan hopes to demystify and clarify. Marinduque is known for its lenten rites which in the last 30 years or so become a tourist destination.
ender and Development (GAD) has its roots with the grants and aids system since the aftermath of the Second World War. GAD is a particular way of looking at development: from what type, who does what, how and why it is necessary. During the first development decade in the 1960s, the particular view that was taken is that women should be more involved in economic development. In the next wave in the 1970s, the view was revised and not only looked at women's contribution but also their participation. Yet another transformation was undertaken during the 1980s, that took the view that both men and women should assert their rights and participate in the total development.
n 1999, Independent Media Centers (IMC's or Indymedia) were instrumental in stopping the millenium World Trade Organization negotiations in Seattle. It was a confluence of a deep mistrust of the neo-liberal world order, open source technologies, alterglobalization movements and end of century spirit. By 2004, after the 9-11 attacks in the United States and the declaration of war against terrorism, Indymedia remained relevant. It was committed to create radical, accurate and passionate telling of truth. In the Philippines, Indymedia Pilipinas was organized by local anarchists, NGO workers, student activists, LGBT advocates,etc. The local indymedia grew and remained active before splitting into Quezon City and Manila Indymedia. The offshoot, after 5 years is yet another local indymedia in the heart of the Philippines, in Marinduque by 2009.
It is the biggest town in terms of land area and population. The former site of the large scale mining, Marcopper Mining Corporation. Sta. Cruz was often reffered to as the “city within a town.� since 1996, when a 50 year moratorium on all forms of mining was declared, Sta. Cruz needed to repackaged itself as a rural tourism site. It also needed to provide an alternative to the mining boom of the 1970s, once such economic activity is the potmaking in Brgy. Kasily, Sta.Cruz.
On the other hand, Buenavista is the smallest town of Marinduque. Although the site of the 6 star holiday and spa resort Bella Roca (beautiful rock) dubbed as Asia's Santorini, buenavista remains the poorest municipality in the province. This fact has a number of advantages: buenavista become the top priority among local and international NGOs. One such entity is the Norwegian Mission Alliance – Philippienes. Brgy. Bicasbicas along with Yook, Bagtingon and Bagacay became on the receiving end, and their most recent venture is in coconut sugar.
The richest in terms of culture and traditions among the towns in Marinduque. In fact, before the province become synonimous to environmental disaster, it was also the precursor of the unique lenten rites like the moriones festival. As early as 1871, moryonan (what it was called then) was practices in the old church as a celebration of triumph against the marauding pirates and slave hunters. The ancestors believed they were moros, they were plants as ornaments and taunt moro yon, moro yon (that's a moro, a moro).
Boac is the capital town of the province, the commercial nerve center of Marinduque. The kilometer zero could be located in boac, as well as the old cathedral and traditional architecture. But there are also interior communities far from the urban center, they produce various products from bananas, rootcrops, and novelty items. Only sold in organized for less than 5 years, they are producing more products suitable for export such as abaca bags and slippers.
The town was founded literarlly on stone, white coral stones to the local dialect known as gasang. The site of the Marinduque airport. Produces the bulk of live pupa and butteflies for export. Known as the butterfly capital not only in the region but also in the whole country. They produce live butterflies for different occasions, from anniversaries, weddings, baptisms and even death.
Torrijos is the southermost part of Maridnuque, abudant with buri palms, the main source of buntal fibers. It produces significant number of buntal products for export and sold domestically in estbalished boutiques and novelty stores. Home to the Torrijos Loomweaving Multipurpose Cooperative which was set up in the 1980's but slowed down two decades later. Julie Anne's handicraft picked up where the Torrijos looms left off.
Since in the beginning, I was always fascinated with images. I learned how to appreciate images even befre I learned how to talk and walk straight, I grew up looking at images from various media. I adore my father telling stories with lots of images. Even in school, I enjoyed more graphic exmaples rathern than plain words. Now I come full circle in the last 10 years, in 2002 I got accepted to a certificate course in creative writing. Ten years after, I also had the opportunity to complete a diploma course in photojournalism.
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