The City of Manila has been celebrating Women’s Month through activities that promote the welfare of women, including protecting them against violence and preventable diseases.

For the first time in its history, Manila is commemorating the event with its first female mayor in the person of Maria Sheila “Honey” Lacuna-Pangan who, however, maintained that there should also be a Men’s Month.

Among the pro-women activities being undertaken are the conduct of conferences to inform the so-called fairer sex of their rights under the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act.

The seminars were led by the Manila Barangay Bureau. Likewise, free medical checkups such as pap smear, breast examination and natal check-up for teenage mothers are being held courtesy of the Manila Health Department.

The City Legal Office, on the other hand, had been offering free legal assistance to women victims of violence, including physical, psychological, financial and sexual.

It may be recalled that Lacuna said that while it will honor in March the contributions of women, she still believes in what her predecessor, former mayor Isko Moreno, had said.

“My question is if there’s a National Women’s Month, is there a National Men’s Month? Because when you say gender equality, it’s not only focused on women, but to all the sexes,” Lacuna had said.

“Here in the City of Manila, as our former mayor Isko Moreno used to say, all the people are equals — no woman, man or gay,” she added.

The city kicked off this week an exposition dubbed EntrePinays showcasing local businesses being managed by women. The event started on 13 March and will end tomorrow.

The female entrepreneurs were given the opportunity to showcase their products at the Bonifacio Shrine, from food to dry goods.

The stalls are open from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily and the business owners are required to pay a minimal amount to the city — only P40 a day.

Lacuna said she is all for helping women succeed in whatever field of endeavor they have chosen to pursue.