UPLB-GC conducts One UP Health Benefits Action Research

University of the Philippines Los Baños -- Dr. Helen Dayo of the Gender Center and Dr. Marilyn Reaño of the University Health Service conduct the One UP Health Benefits Action Research.

The said project aims to manage health insurance programs and other benefits being offered by the university for university employees.

Information management would use information communication technology for better accession and consolidation.

Also, the study will help analyze gender sensitive issues that arise on the topic of university health benefits.

The need for the research was recognized in 2011 by UP President Alfredo E. Pascual during the turn-over ceremony. He pointed out that there is a necessity to keep up with the times, and improve the university’s research and development capability.

President Pascual also recognized the importance of the personnel as resource, and the UP compensation system, including that of housing and healthcare.

By Loraine Alshifa S. Martinez

UPLB Gender Center with UPLB Babaylan, UPLB USC conducts symposium on gender rights movement 

The UPLB Gender Center in partnership with UPLB Babaylan and UPLB University of Student Council  conducted a symposium on gender rights movement last September 26 at NCAS Auditorium, UPLB.

Dubbed as “Closing our ranks: What’s next for gender rights movement?”, the symposium gathered almost 100 UPLB and Los Banos National High School students where five representatives from various organizations discussed the development of gender rights movement in the Philippines. The five organizations include KAPATID, PROGAY, PINOY Female To Male (FTM), UPLB Babaylan, and Metropolitan Community Church Quezon City. Speakers from these organizations discussed the growth of gender rights movement in the country as well as their respective advocacies.

The formation of gender rights movements in the Philippines started in late 1960s as discussed by  William Villacampa of PROGAY, an alliance of gay organizations in the country.

“May mga maliliit na grupo noon sa mga plaza, eskwelahan, at sa parlor. Yung pangalan ng organisasyon nila ay ‘yung pinagdudugtong dugtong na first letters ng pangalan nila,” Villacampa explained.

Third year BS Chemical Engineering student Yvann Zuniga, president of UPLB Babaylan, also discussed the rise of student-based organizations for LGBT in the country of which UP Babaylan is one. Zuniga said that before the establishment of UPLB Babaylan in 2009, there was a massive discrimination experienced by gays, bisexuals, and lesbians in the campus. UPLB Babaylan provides support services through their “B Hotline” and organizes Pride March, a parade of LGBT and their supporters, annually.

On the other hand, Pinoy FTM representative Alek Weber talked about the plight of transmen in the country. He also clarified the use of terms such as transgender and transsexual.  PINOY FTM has been serving as support group for the trans community through medical and legal support. 

Furthermore, Kakay Pamaran, a pastor at Metropolitan Community Church at Quezon City,  also shared her story of her “coming out” as a lesbian which he admitted as a difficult one.  He added that young people who identify themselves either as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or trans need support groups that can help them reveal their gender identity to their parents.  . The said Christian Church has a special ministry for the LGBT.

“Naniniwala ako na ang mga LGBT ay anak din ng Diyos,” Pamaran added.

Dr. Gerri Ghanim, coordinator of KAPATID, also discussed gender terms such as gender identity, sexual orientation, and gender expression. He emphasized the need to understand these terms so that students can use it properly.

After the talk of the speakers, students asked questions during the open forum. Some of the questions raised were the  speakers’ stance about Catholic Church teachings that being gay is wrong and the signs of being a transgender.

“Natutunan ko na meron palang Christian church na nag-aano sa mga lesbians or gays pati na yung mga karapatan nila dito sa community natin,” 3^rd year LBNHS student Michelle Paderon said.

 “ Simple lang yung natutunan ko. Respect sa third sex,” 4^th year LBNHS student Royette Padrid said.

Written by Clinton Ronquillo

GC-OASH gives week-long talks to freshmen blocs

Gender Center- Office Against Sexual Harassment (OASH) gives talks among freshmen blocs on Sexual Harassment.

As part of their Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) efforts, OASH conducted week-long scheduled talks for the freshmen in UPLB. People from the said office, one of which is Ms. Emilia Lastica, prepared talks for freshmen blocs in different schedules from September 2- 6, 2013.

The talk tackled gender sensitivity and sexual harassment, wherein cases and statistics of sexual harassment in the campus were shared with the students. “In identifying the occurrence of a sexual harassment, you need to remember two words: unwelcome and sexual”. Ms. Lastica shared that sexual harassment is not only physical, but could be verbal too. Any unwelcome sexual advancement, whether said in a conversation, through a text message or body language may be considered sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a violation against an individual, and the university gives protection to its faculty, staff and students against it through OASH.

In cases of sexual harassment, the victim could report an incident with OASH. Then, he/she will choose if he/she only wants an apology, or if he/she wants the center to give a more serious penalty like suspension or dismissal. In any of the cases, the center will require the aggressor to attend counselling.

Statistics say that in the reported cases, most are women, but there are men too. And there are women and men aggressors to. It was also shared that most of the victims were freshmen, thus, the talks were given to them. This only goes to show that everyone could be a victim, or an aggressor.

The Gender Center received an increasing amount of reports on sexual harassment each year. It could be that there really is an increase in the incidence, but it is also possible that it is because more and more people are learning about OASH and the Gender Center. At the end of her talk, Ms. Lastica encouraged everyone to share what they have learned with everybody to spread the words amongst more people.

Have you been sexually harassed, or do you know someone who has? Report it through the Gender Center. They could be reached through their facebook group, or a visit their office at the International House Complex, near DL Umali in the campus.

Written by: Grace Subang

 ChemEng Student Wins Gender Center’s Poster Making Contest

Alexandra Joyce Alvarez, a batch 2008 BS Chemical Engineering student from UPLB, won first prize (P5,000) in this year’s Gender Center poster-making contest last July 30.

She submitted a poster which involved a number of footprints surrounding a red pump shoe and human-like figure. Alexandra mentions that the footprints represent women’s struggle to make a mark in whatever they were doing. The different footprints were representative of the different women in society today. When asked what the red pumps meant she says, ”Parang tiis-ganda. It signifies women who want to stand out kahit mahirap, kahit masakit tsaka favorite color ko kasi ‘yung red pati pangarap kong mag-ka red pumps.” [It’s like a sacrifice for beauty. It signifies women who want to stand out even if it’s difficult and painful. Also, red is my favorite color and it’s my dream to have red pumps]

Alexandra says she and her friend joined to contest because “ trip-trip lang namin. Pang puhunan sana namin sa FRA, hahah.” [it’s just random. We were supposed to use it for a fund raising activity]

            The winners were selected through voting at Gender Center’s facebook page that happened during july 25 - 25. The other winners were:

 Second Prize (P3,000) - Miguel Carlo D. Bathan

Third Prize (P1,500) - Matt Christian Ledesma

Most FB "Likes" (P500) - Nathaniel Jay Abella

            All poster submissions can be seen at Gender Center’s facebook page.

Written by Pamela Barredo

UPLB GC attends bamboo and ecotourism writeshop

The University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) Gender Center participated in the research, development and extension writeshop on bamboo and ecotourism last June 26-27, 2013. UPLB Gender Center Director Helen F. Dayo, Gender and Rural Development Office (GRDO) Coordinator Amelia Bello and Ms. Saira Saipudin attended the event. It was spearheaded by the Southern Tagalog Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (STARRDEC) at SM Rolle Hall, CvSU in Indang Cavite.

The aim of the writeshop was to facilitate the drafting of proposals of different local agencies. Dr. Rico Cabangan of FPRDI and Ms. Marilyn Limpiada of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region IV-B facilitated the writeshop proper.

The first day started with registration at eight in the morning and opened at nine with an invocation and the singing of the national anthem.

Dr. Divina Chavez, RRDC Chairperson of STARRDEC, gave the welcoming remarks, as followed by a message from Dr. Edna Vide to the participants.

Afterwards, Ms. Almora Magccawaas, DCO, introduced the participants. RRD Coordinator Dr. Beng Umali discussed the rationale of the activity and writeshop mechanics.

Different outputs were also presented at the even, particularly the approved RDE framework on bamboo by the FPRDI, the approved RDE framework on Ecotourism by DENR IV-B and the RGAD workshop output by STARRDEC-RGAD.

Participants then proceeded to writeshop. It ended at five in the afternoon and was continued the following day. Participants presented their outputs after the writeshop.

The second day was officially ended with action-planning and a closing program at five in the afternoon.

By Loraine Alshifa S. Martinez

Gender Center co-shows indie film In Nomine Matris

The UPLB Gender Center, through the UPLB Sigma  Alpha Nu Sorority  and in cooperation with HUBO Productions, Inc., had two screenings of the independent film, In Nomine Matris (Sa Ngalan ng Ina) at DL Umali Auditorium, UPLB, July 24.

The film, directed and written by Will  Fredo, is about a young dance protégé named Mara Bonifacio Advento who aspires to land the top act of a dance company, but was faced with different challenges.

“It’s a journey of a woman who was subjected to different situations. It’s a story of a woman who failed to be a flamenco dancer due to internal problems she herself could work on to survive. It’s a choice between this and that, a journey at cross-roads between a career and personal concerns. If we are going to translate this in our own understanding, for me, it is liberating. Liberating in a sense that she was able to hurdle difficulties of women who pass through that stage,” said Maria Helen Dayo, director of the Gender Center.

 “Personally, as a woman, it’s a big factor to choose between a career or her motherhood. That’s one of the very emergent ideas in the film. The film showed how vast the influence of the western culture in our own that’s why it added more impact on the conflict between motherhood or career,” said Anca Paje, head of Sigma Alpha Nu Sorority.

During the screening of the film, Fredo, together with producers Medwin Garcia and Joan T. Manalang, lead actress Liza Diño, and special guest Aiza Seguerra  graced the event.

Meanwhile, notable Filipino from the industry worked for the film. Flamenco master Clara Ramona choreographed and fused Philippine dances and Spanish Flamenco rhythms and steps for the film. Jazz musician Bob Aves composed a musical score combining Filipino Kundiman and Flamenco ‘compas.’  Al Gatmaitan sang Spanish verse opera. And artist Jam Perez had an original open-mic poetry performance.

Written by Mahrion Abacan