Congratulations to the Municipality of Quinapondan, Eastern Samar!
Last August 23, Quinapondan received prestigious recognition from the 3rd ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit Care Economy Recognition Awards for their outstanding work in care legislation. Selected by the Philippine Commission on Women, the municipality was awarded the Care Economy Award in Vientiane, Lao PDR. Municipal Vice Mayor Leo Jasper Candido proudly accepted the award on behalf of the community.
This recognition highlights the Local We-Care Ordinance, a pioneering effort by Quinapondan since 2018 with the support of Oxfam through the WE Care project (Women’s Economic Empowerment and Care). The ordinance values and supports unpaid care and domestic work (UCDW), which is often unrecognized and undervalued in society. With the partnerships of Oxfam Pilipinas and UNESCAP, the municipality has implemented policies that promote shared caregiving responsibilities, directly benefiting thousands of women, children, the elderly, and entire families.
The 3rd ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit Care Economy Recognition Awards aim to identify good and promising practices and initiatives by ASEAN Member States (AMS) to strengthen and invest in the care economy since the adoption of the ASEAN Comprehensive Framework on the Care Economy in 2021.
We are incredibly proud of Quinapondan’s commitment to building a more inclusive and caring community. Here’s to more innovative initiatives that uplift and empower our communities! 
Photo courtesy of Vice Mayor Leo Jasper Candido