Serving others beyond age and gender

Wearing her pink Minnie Mouse cap, nanay Adelina stood out from the volunteers preparing relief items. Surrounded by strong and young students, she is one of the four senior citizens who have been regularly joining the relief efforts of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Cordillera.
Adelina Genat is a 72-year-old widow from La Trinidad, Benguet. She is living with her grandchild who is a Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiary. Due to the pandemic, nanay Adelina was left with nothing to do, thus she began her engagement with the DSWD in November 2020.
“Hindi ako nahihirapan dahil sanay naman ako sa trabaho. Habang kaya ko pa, pumupunta ako para magtrabaho. Mas maganda (na kasama namin sila) dahil nagtutulungan ang mga bata at matatanda,” nanay Adelina said.
True enough, she can still keep up with other volunteers half her age.
Aside from being a 4Ps beneficiary, nanay Adelina has been included in the Cash for Work Program of the DSWD-CAR where she receives 75 percent of the daily minimum wage.
With her age, she admits doing physical activities is already a challenge, but this does not stop her.
“Kahit mahirap, at least may ginagawa. Kaya rin naming gawin kung ano man ang kaya nila,” she said.
Despite her personal worries, nanay Adelina continues to think of others. “Gusto kong mag-volunteer hangga’t kaya ko dahil hindi lang ang sarili ko ang natutulungan ko, nakakatulong din ako sa ibang tao,” she said.
Nanay Adelina is just one of the many women in the Cordillera who continue to rise above life’s challenges.
This year’s Women’s Month celebration theme is “Juana Laban sa Pandemya: Kaya!” Nanay Adelina and the like prove that even during pandemic, women can still play their role in society. When given the equal opportunity and support, women will not just be able to help themselves but serve others as well.
National Women’s Month is celebrated every March pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 224 and 227 and Republic Act 6949. For 2017 to 2022, the celebration should carry the theme “We Make Change Work for Women,” but this year, the celebration highlighted the role of women in battling the pandemic and gender issues arising from such. (NERIZZA FAYE G. VILLANUEVA-TRINIDAD)