Gov't asked to locate funds to build Center for Women
Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has been asked to facilitate efforts to identify funding that would pave the way for the construction of the proposed center for women, a project that was conceived several years back.
Rep. William S. Torres said the proposed center, which was brought up in 1995 during the leadership of former Gov. Froilan C. Tenorio, will house the Women’s Affairs Office, a resource facility, a cafeteria and a day care center.
The center was envisioned to be a place where women in the CNMI would find not only solace but the inspiration to achieve economic well-being and empowerment and productive networking, said Mr. Torres.
He was asking Mr. Tenorio and Lt. Gov. Jesus R. Sablan to help take the initiative in funding the second phase of the project, since the contract for phase one which included architectural and engineering services has already been consummated in May 1997.
The contract included Phase-I which involves the construction of a day care center and the WAO office building while Phase-II is for the women’s resource center and the cafeteria.
“However, Phase II of said contract was premised on funds availability and Department of Public Works’ acceptance of a change order. To date, Phase II of the contract has not been activated due to an inability to locate the funding requirement that should have been there in the first place,” he stressed.
Mr. Torres said construction of the facility is timely following the Legislature’s passage and the governor’s signing into law of legislation against domestic violence.
“The bottom line solution is clearly to take the initiative and fund the second phase of this project. We appeal to your concerted leadership in partnership with the First Lady Sophie and Second Lady Annie for a timely resolution to this unnecessary impasse,” he said in a letter to the administration.
Mr. Torres mentioned the U.S. Census Bureau has disclosed that women still expect to earn $2,000 less than a man with a high school diploma in financial management, and that 70 percent of women consider themselves as caregivers.
“Statistics for the Commonwealth have yet to be finalized for comparative purposes. One thing is clear, nonetheless. We definitely need to support the empowerment of women in order to facilitate the balancing of personal and career lives,” he added. (Aldwin R. Fajardo)
