ROCO, SONIA "INANG GURO" M.: SLB Profile

Date of birth: July 20, 1944

Occupation: Educator

EducationAL BACKGROUND:

College: AB Education, St. Joseph's College
Higher Studies: MA in Communication Arts, Ateneo de Manila University
MA in Social Psychology, Ateneo de Manila University

TRACK RECORD:

Our School, center for Early Childhood Education of the Ateneo Co-founder
Psychology Department
Live and Learn Preschool, Loyola QC Owner

CITATIONS:

IF you have been with Women in Nation-building (WIN) - as member, officer or participant in any of its Congresses, seminars, workshops and other projects - you know Sonia Roco.

As founding member, past president, chairperson and active participant in all of WIN’s activities for over 10 years Sonia has worked tirelessly for WIN and its objectives.

Indeed, she is WIN’s loyal friend, reliable worker, resource provider and dedicated leader.

But for the first time since WIN was founded in 1987, Sonia missed a WIN activity - the 10th Congress in Baguio (February 6-8). While she had helped in the preparations and, as usual, had volunteered valuable resources for the Congress, she could not be there because, as full partner with spouse Raul S. Roco, she was busy with Aksyon Demokratiko’s Feb. 8 convention which launched his candidacy for president.

Yes, Sonia has taken on another challenge: help Raul get elected President. What is so significant about this is that she is helping not just because he is her spouse, but because she truly believes in what he stands for. Indeed, on her own and in myriad ways, she has fought for these principles - that people are more important than institutions; that women and men must be equal partners in nation building; that women and children must have first access to resources; that economic reforms must benefit all; that all of us must protect the environmental for sustainable development; and that we must practice the values of work, study and prayer.

Most of us in WIN have heard Sonia Roco talk straight from the heart about these beliefs and seen her act on them. She has worked tirelessly for WIN as well as for livelihood projects and socio-civic projects that benefit the poor, the disadvantaged, and the disabled while Raul authored and worked in Congress for the passage of laws such as the Women in Nation-Building Act, the Anti-Sexual Harassment, the Anti-Rape Act and the Overseas Contract Worker Code.

Mother of six and grandmother of three, Sonia has also pursued a career in education. She established the Live and Learn Nursery School and until recently was a college professor at St. Joseph’s, Ateneo and Miriam. She took up Child Development at UP, earned a master’s degree in Communication Arts and Social Psychology from the Ateneo, and finished programs in basic management and development management at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). She has also trained in Speech and Drama at the Rose Bruford School of Drama in London.

Because of her achievements and personal charisma, commentators have said that Sonia could be a presidentiable - to which she promptly replies: "There is only one candidate and that is Raul Roco."

Truly, Sonia Roco is a woman who has achieved a balance among raising a family, pursuing a career and fighting for her beliefs. WIN is proud to call her a true WINner. WIN salutes Sonia Roco. We know that when Raul is in Malacanang, she will continue to be Raul’s full partner and to work for the principles for which millions of Filipinos will be electing him in May 1998.

http://www.kababaihan.org/winnews/1998-march/SONIA.HTM

HONORS/AWARDS:

College- Magna Cum Laude