(Privilege speech delivered by Councilor Pilar C. Braga at the City Council in Davao City on September 6, 2022)
Today, allow me to honor a woman who spent the best years of her life fighting for justice for oppressed women by lending her voice to countless voiceless women.
Nelia Sancho, the Beauty Queen turned activist is gone but her works of mercy and the empowering of women will remain a legacy in the annals of Gender Equality, Justice and Development.
Nelia delos Reyes Sancho was crowned Queen of the Pacific in 1971… and held other titles as a testimony to her beauty. She could have led a very comfortable life as she was a much-sought fashion model but her restless soul was in search of a more meaningful life… the rest is history.
In the story of beauty and fashion in the Philippine scenario, she was one of the two widely recognized title holders who opted to undergo rural immersion and integration with the poorest of the poor in her attempt to advance the cause in ending poverty and structural imbalances. She had led a revolutionary life and made a leap in taking up the cudgel for the grassroots women in the public arena when she visibly assumed major tasks in the broadening of the women’s movement in the country.
Where gender mainstreaming was still at its infancy, Nelia Sancho already chanted, elucidated and cheered well the aspirations of women to be free, safe, and live in a just society.
Among her countless achievements, Nelia pioneered the framework for an alternative early childhood education that centers on the child innate capacity with the support system from the social environments, thus, support structures such as day care centers mushroomed all over the country. For Nelia, parenting is the key to community development and empowerment. With her advocacy for children’s rights, she became a convenor and trustee the Defense for Children International.
Davao City is home to Nelia as she practically grew up here with residence in Barrio Obrero. I remember when we were crafting the Women Development Code in the late 1990s, Nelia Sancho was on hand inspiring and guiding us in framing this landmark ordinance that serves as the “bible” for women empowerment in our beloved Davao City.
In a democracy, we may find ourselves in the different sides of the Great Divide… left, right, center, left of center, right of center… we may not agree or disagree on certain ideological issues, but one thing is certain, we women agree to unite on our shared vision of empowering the women, on gender equality and development, on justice and freedom, family values, nationalism and love of country.
Nelia Sancho was the cement that bind us together and for that we, women salute her and will forever remember her in the annals of the Women’s Movement. Thank you, Nelia… rest in peace now.
