December 25, 2009: Here is an update about our experience with Cheryl Burke (the Filipina American professional dancer and celebrity), and her celebrity-colleague, Mark Ballas, in San Francisco. Enjoy the champion quality of these “Dancing with the Stars!” professionals when you watch a sample of the dancing they performed that Sunday. For updates about this event, go to http://bit.ly/6fyDUi.

This Sunday, on December 20, 2009, in San Francisco, California:

Cheryl Burke, the Philippine Disaster Relief Coalition, the Philippine Consulate General – San Francisco, Ayala Foundation USA, ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya Foundation, and other collaborating friends are coming together with the holiday spirit to “Dance for a Cause.” Please share this special invitation with our friends in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Here is the video invitation for your viewing pleasure.

You can download, print, embed, or share this flier with your friends.

Source of Photo: Women light candles for the victims of abduction and killing in Maguindanao province southern Philippines during a rally marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in Quezon City Metro Manila, November 24, 2009. REUTERS/Cheryl Ravelo
Taken here: macondaily.com

Esmael Mangudadatu thought it was safe to let his wife file his Certificate of Candidacy (COCs). No men from the family went along since he believed that women would not be attacked by rivals. Journalists also came along with the convoy. Alas, Mangudadatu was wrong. The convoy was stopped by 100 armed men, who brought them away from the highway and then brutally shot them with M-16 rifles and machetes.

News Report on the brutality of the murder of the women in the Maguindanao Massacre. His account is just brutal beyond your wildest imagination.

“Esmael Mangudadatu said the body of his murdered wife had been horrifyingly mutilated and that his dead sister and aunt had both been pregnant.

‘We can’t call him an animal because I have pets and they are tame. No, he is a monster. They are monsters,’ Mangudadatu told reporters, referring to Ampatuan Jr. and his gunmen.

‘My wife’s private parts were slashed four times, after which they fired a bullet into it,’ he added.

In commemoration of the International Day for Women Human Rights Defenders, Rep. Liza Maza today led women from Karapatan and Gabriela in an all-women protest action in Mendiola, as they called for justice for the 22 women victims in the Maguindanao massacre.

“Women victims in the Maguindanao massacre were massacred twice over— their lives were brutally taken and they were sexually violated. I condemn in strongest terms these most reprehensible acts of violence,” Maza said, amid reports of the Department of Justice that the 22 women victims in the Maguindanao massacre were shot at their genitals.

Two women human rights defenders, Atty. Concepcion “Connie” Brizuela and Atty. Cynthia Oquendo, were among the 57 victims.

Atty. Brizuela has long been a passionate defender of women’s rights who worked tirelessly to end state violence against women in Mindanao region. She was also one of the lawyers of Gabriela Women’s Party during the past elections and handled women human rights cases. Atty. Oquendo was also known for her activism in health-related causes and in social justice movement. Maza said that Oquendo was a member of Gabriela during her student days.

“The killing of these two women human rights defenders shows the grave threats that loom before women during the election period and the violation of their human rights, particularly their right to participate in political processes,” she asserted.

To date, 62 bodies have been recovered.

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San Francisco, CA, October 3, 2009 – The Filipina Women’s Network (FWN) has selected Myrna Lardizabal De Vera, Vice-Chair, City of Hercules Planning Commission, as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the U.S., “Policymakers & Visionaries” category.

The 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the U.S. Award™ honors Filipina women who are changing the face of power in America and who have reached status for outstanding work in their respective fields and who are recognized for their leadership and achievements in the U.S. workplace and communities.

“The 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the U.S. are dynamic leaders who are influential in their respective fields and local communities. These role models are powerful examples of women doing extraordinary work who will inspire our youth and future leaders,” said Lieutenant Colonel Shirley Saoit Raguindin of the Arizona National Guard and chair of the FWN 100 Nationwide Search and Selection Committee. “The awardees are asked to womentor a protégée so we can double the number of Filipina leaders by 2012. They were selected from nominations submitted from across the United States.”
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Battered women who want to recover their self-esteem should invoke Republic Act (RA) 9262 “Anti-Violence Against Women and Children even if our justice system is slow and at times exasperating.

HOTLINE FOR ABUSED WOMEN is +632-922-5235 or +632-926-7744
Donations in cash and kind are welcome at the Women’s Crisis Center, 3F ER-Trauma Extension, Annex Building of the East Avenue Medical Center in Diliman , Quezon City

I think that violence at home, or between intimate partners, is as abhorrent as violence of any kind. It destroys not only the trust and love between partners, it also kills the human spirit. And while physical bruises may heal, the deeper scars and damage is inflicted to the psyche and to the soul. First of all, I think women who have been physically abused should realize that they are not powerless and that they can do something to get out of it. I think reclaiming one’s own power to change a situation, however hopeless it may seem, is the most important first step to take in rebuilding one’s self-esteem. Instead of blaming, or looking for excuses, facing the situation head on and deciding things are going to change is already a turning point and heading in the right direction.—Tippi Ocampo, fashion designer

A man is never justified in beating any woman. It is not just about his inability to control rage, although that may be a factor. More importantly, it is a symptom of a broader societal malaise that nurtures violence and accepts the subjugation of women to men. He is a product of a macho culture that accepts this behavior and even emulates it. It is a criminal behavior that should never be condoned by friends, relatives, and neighbors.

A battered woman should build a support group around her. She needs reassurance that there are people around her who love and care for her and that she can survive outside the abusive relationship. She should also seek professional counseling. Often, battered women are trapped in a cycle of violence where they often justify the behavior of their abusive partners and end up going back in their arms only to be abused again. She has to realize that any form of violence on her is never justified. —Ingrid Gorre, lawyer

Read more at What women say about domestic violence