By Manila Bulletin team Alexa Basa The Philippines, with many countries around the world, celebrates the role of women and highlights issues affecting them every March. A law declaring March 8 as National Women's Day through Republic Act No. 6949, and two presidential proclamations – one of them Proclamation 224 declaring March 8 as Women’s Rights and International Peace Day, and the first week of March as Women’s Week, and Proclamation 227 signed in 1988 declaring March as Women’s Role in History Month – show the special place of women in Philippine society. In the Philippines, the celebration is led by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), and is part of the National Women’s Month celebration. This year, the month-long celebration has a new theme: “WE for gender equality and inclusive society,” which will end in 2028. ‘WE’ stands for Women and Everyone and Women’s Empowerment. The six-year theme is “both a positive affirmation and a call to action” and “it is a testament to the milestones achieved in closing gender gaps in the country and in gathering more support to the advocacy,” according to PCW Memorandum Circular No. 2023-01. For this year, the emphasis is on empowering women and girls to maximize the benefits of innovation and technology and closing the digital gender gap. PCW adopted the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day celebration, which is “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality.” Among PCW’s activities for the month are the International Women's Day celebration, the digital forum series on March 15, 22, and 29, and the release of “Pulso para sa Kababaihan, Tungo sa Kaunlaran” online poll results launched last year. Women’s group Gabriela, together with the Commission on Human Rights and the Sarilaya, hold the Purple Action Day to call on women’s demand for social justice during the opening of Women’s Month on Wednesday, Mar. 1, at the Liawasang Diokno, CHR Headquarters in Quezon City. (Mark Balmores / Manila Bulletin) The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), in partnership with alliance of Filipino women Gabriela and women’s organization Sarilaya, kicked off the National Women’s Month with the eighth Purple Action Day on March 1, starting the day with a march along Philcoa in Commonwealth Avenue to CHR Liwasang Diokno followed by a program with Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte as guest honor. Gabriela Chairperson Gertrudes Libang urged the public to participate in the International Working Women’s Day protest on March 8, which aims “to unite women and workers in the fight for wages, jobs, and rights.” CHR also held a bazaar and an exhibit on the same day. A public forum was also held on March 1 by the Center for Women’s Resources, presenting the Ulat Lila report in commemoration of International Working Women’s Day, tackling issues affecting Filipino women from various sectors of society. Meanwhile, the Women and Gender Institute (WAGI) of Miriam College announced that its Executive Editor Melanie Reyes is one of the speakers at the Non-government organization-Commission on the Status of Women (NGO CSW) online forum on March 7, organized by the Southeast Asia Women's Watch and Asia Pacific Women's Watch. Reyes is expected to talk on “Experience in innovating technology during the pandemic.” World celebrations Many countries, including Afghanistan, Belarus, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine, observe International Women’s Day as a national holiday, according to the IWD website. Italy celebrates International Women’s Day, or la Festa della Donna, where women receive mimosa blossoms, which has been a tradition in the country, according to the BBC. In China, reports said women receive a half-day off from work on March 8. Meanwhile, the United States’ celebration is marked by Women's History Month which is held every March.