Colorful brushstrokes, carefully crafted sleeves, and confident strides on stage — these came together to create a deeply personal and empowering celebration at the Regional Haven for Women and Girls (Regional Haven) of Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office Cordillera Administrative Region (DSWD FO CAR). As the Regional Haven marked the culmination of Women’s Month, its residents stood as storytellers of their own journeys, where healing met courage and transformation took center stage.
The culminating activity held on 31 March 2026, featured a Poster Making Contest and a Filipiniana Pageant, which highlighted hands-on and creative Filipiniana sleeve decoration, where residents transformed their stories into powerful expressions of identity, resilience, and hope. More than a celebration, the event became a safe space for self-discovery and expression.
For many of the Center residents, the poster-making contest became a window into their inner world. In that shared space while doing their posters, art became both voice and refuge. They expressed stories of loss, survival, and the slow but steady process of healing.
Equally moving was the Filipiniana Pageant, where each participant stepped forward not just in elegance, but in defiance of the hardships they had endured. Residents proudly wore their Filipiniana gowns, made even more meaningful by their personal touch during the sleeve decoration activity, where they thoughtfully designed and embellished their attire beautifully reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines, with distinct inspirations from the Cordillera.
As they walked the stage, Regional Haven residents showcased confidence, beauty and transformation. Shoulders straightened, smiles grew more certain, and eyes reflected a renewed sense of self. The applause that filled the room was not simply for beauty or performance, but for a new beginning, the kind that is built in small everyday victories and finally finds its moment to shine.
Adding warmth and vibrancy to the celebration, the residents also shared their other talents through song and light-hearted performances while awaiting the results of the contests. Laughter and music filled the space, creating moments of joy and connection that further strengthened their sense of community.
Beyond the contests and presentations, this culminating activity truly fostered a strong sense of belonging within the Regional Haven, a residential care facility that serves as a sanctuary for 35 residents, women and girls who are survivors of abuse and other difficult circumstances, providing them with a supportive and nurturing environment, along with psychosocial interventions and opportunities for healing, recovery, and personal development. For the Regional Haven’s residents, this shelter became more than a facility. It stood as a home of support, understanding, and second chances.
As the celebration drew to a close, a heartfelt reminder from Regional Haven’s Supervising Social Worker Amy Angeli Cabansi to the Haven’s residents:
“Your journey may have begun with pain and challenges, but it does not end there. Each day you choose to move forward is already an act of courage and strength. Allow yourselves the time and space to heal, to rediscover your worth, and to grow into the strong and resilient women you are becoming.
Through meaningful engagements like these, residents are given opportunities to rediscover themselves and reimagine their futures. Because in every brushstroke, every stitch, and every step forward, a story unfolds, one that speaks not only of survival, but of strength reclaimed, dignity restored, and hope gently renewed. # DSWD FIELD OFFICE CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, MAYROSE U. CARIÑO
