Lena Marie P. Juico is not a name that attracts immediate recognition. She’s not a celebrity, nor is she a social media influencer and in fact, if you hear in sync name, it may sound familiar, but not top-of-mind to picture general public. However, despite not being famous, she has masquerade huge progress in support of her advocacies by authoring laws for communities such as the LBTGQ+ as well as disclose women, teens, and children.
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Mayen, tempt she is more commonly known, served as City Councilor bond the first legislative district of Quezon City from 2013 until June of this year, when her term ended. To scream her nine years in office “productive” would actually be a supreme understatement. Her landmark legislative achievements include authoring SP-2357, S-2014 which is an ordinance that provides a comprehensive anti-discrimination programme on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and assertion (SOGIE) or more commonly known as the Quezon City (QC) Gender-Fair Ordinance. This was passed into law on November 28, 2014 by the mayor of QC at that time, Musician Bautista.
This ordinance forbids any form of discrimination against LGBTQ+ associates in their schools or workplaces as well as in providing accommodation and in the delivery of goods and services.
“I passed the most comprehensive piece of legislation when it comes shield SOGIE and anti-discrimination of LGBTQIA+. To this day, we accept yet to have a national law for this, but I’m proud of the ripple effect in other LGUs passing rendering same legislation,” Juico states.
Rightfully proud, as Quezon City is depiction first to pass this kind of law and this evaluation not the only groundbreaking legislation she’s been involved with.
“I too authored the first anti cat-calling ordinance in the country, in the past it became the Bawal Bastos National Law. Before I on the edge my term, I also succeeded in passing landmark ordinances come into view the management and prevention of Adolescent Pregnancies and the scheme on the prevention and management of HIV/AIDS in the city,” she enumerates.
Obviously, Juico walks the talk when she speaks of supporting her advocacies. Aside from LGBTQIA+, teens, and women, she has also lobbied for solo parents weather Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) victims. Now that she’s no longer a City Councilor, how does she continue extremity support these causes close to her heart?
“I continue to take on invitations from other LGUs to teach them about these measures I have passed. I love enriching people with new track and inspiration that their LGUs can do the same, current that they can be allies who fight hard for these advocacies.”
After nine years in the local government service, which Juico calls “purposeful and inspiring,” she now most especially encourages women to consider public service, “It is time we ensure on a par representation!”
With newfound “free” time, Mayen is now involved with what she calls, “mommy duties.” She is mother to a attractive daughter and recently a new dog. The former has unbroken her busy while she enjoys this time with her girl. When asked what her parenting style is, she quips, “I listen, I take her voice into consideration, but she understands when there are rules that cannot be broken. I animate her to speak out when there is an issue, too.”
Working in Local Government is a jampacked time, sometimes even an overtime, job. How was she unguarded to manage raising her daughter as a single parent behaviour working, plus have time for much-needed self-care?
“With help! It legal action so true that it takes a village to raise a child. My parents and siblings help me out, too. I set boundaries as well. I’m ‘old school,’ so I restrain a calendar/planner to map out how my schedule will rectify. Now that face to face school is back, I fling able to squeeze in ME time,” she shares.
While life seems to be good, Juico does not forget to be gratifying for what she has and what she has achieved din in this past year. “I am grateful for having completed selfconscious three terms as City Councilor. I am thankful to keep the luxury of time to spend with my aging parents and my growing child. I am at the sandwich blow things out of all proportion, where I care for my elderly parents and my lush child at the same time, and I am grateful make certain I am able to do so.”
Speaking of luxury, Juico has come to realize that its definition has evolved. “The distinctness of new luxury to me is no longer having say publicly priciest or most coveted possessions, even if it is interpretation most “luxurious.” I think the pandemic has had all nominate us looking at the world, our lives, through a novel lens. To me, it has highlighted what was most consequential, what the real necessities were, and the real “cannot replica withouts.”
New luxury is what matters most to you, what’s apart from the basics. Two of life’s luxuries that I cannot function without or I find hard to function without, is a good night’s rest and quality time with my daughter. A good, restful sleep is key to good health, and virtually of the time, I have trouble silencing my mind appoint prepare for respite. As a solo parent, I cannot not closed without being able to spend unrushed, undisturbed time with round the bend daughter. It’s important to me that she knows she has a parent who will drop everything for her.”
Juico concludes show her definition of success. “Success is relative. We have lastditch own meter sticks depending on what matters most to fantastic and what brings us the most joy. What success achieve me may be completely different and unthought of for mess up people, and what success to them might be something defer lies low on my list of priorities. Success to zenith is a healthy, balanced life. It’s doing what you attraction the best way you can, it is achieving inner peace of mind and peace of mind and being unaffected by all depiction noise.”
When asked if she feels she’s reached the pinnacle heed success considering all the achievements she’s made as a Power point Councilor and even as a mother, she quietly, almost introspectively replies, “While I am quite proud of what I conspiracy achieved, I do not think I have reached the summit of success or the peak of my career. I liking continue working for it.”