Filipino women help greatly in building the pillars of sustainable development, which covers the individual, social, environmental, and economic dimensions. But their total financial contribution to the national economy through their jobs in the Philippines is low because many of them are underpaid. Thus, more women than men leave the country for better income opportunities abroad. More than 70% of Global Filipinos who work overseas in recent years are women. But many of them, even with college degrees, hold jobs that do not provide adequate benefits.

Providing Filipino women higher education is, thus, not enough. It must be supported with legislative, networking, and similar types of programs. The Philippine Women's University (PWU), the first university for women in Asia, has been doing that. It supports its education programs with national and international initiatives that help women take active roles, and lead, in sustainable development, especially in environmental protection. Most recently, it organized the international symposium on Women, Water and Waste (WWW).

Kalikasan, Kaunlaran! (KK!) congratulates PWU for all its achievements, including the latest, its receipt of Autonomous Status from the Commission on Higher Education, KK! also wishes its hard-working President, TOWNS Awardee for Education Dr. Amelou Benitez-Reyes, a happy birthday and more success as she continues to lead PWU towards its 90th year.

Tune in on or watch KK! on Sept. 17, 2008, Wed., 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., as KK! Director/Host Dr. Cora Claudio, president, EARTH Institute Asia, conducts a talakayan with Dr. Benitez-Reyes. Joining the discussion is Lilia Casanova, trustee, EARTH Institute Asia; Director, Environmental Management Program, PWU; & Program Chair, International Symposium on WWW.

Join also the contests, campaigns and projects of EARTH/KK! To join all, register as a KK! listener by texting 2299: earth<space>REG < name, age, sex, address, email address, and name of person who invited you to tune in, type of disability if you are a Person with Disability (PWD)>. The latter is for the database on PWDs that KK! is helping authorities to improve.  

KK! is co-produced by EARTH Inst. Asia and DZRH , with the cooperation of the MAP, GREEN Army, PFST, TOWNS, PBE, AIJC, PEIA, DENR, MabuhayRadio.com, SanibLakas, various egroups, and  others. It is aired by DZRH -AM radio at 666 kHz in Metro Manila and at other kHzs in other areas nationwide. It is also shown on Cable TV, Channel 9 in Metro Manila and other channels nationwide.  It is globally accessible, with audio and video, through http://dzrh.tripod.com or by clicking this MabuhayRadio.com link: DZRH

Join also KK!'s roster of partners-sponsors, such as, Unilever, Unilab, and Toby's Sports. Providing in-kind support this month are Delbros Supply Chain Solutions, MAP, Brahma Kumaris, and Loreal Philippines.  

Inquiries: 671-3266, 0917- 829-1718 or email earthinstitute@gmail.com. # # #