UGDO Bulletin: January-March 2022

January - March 2022

Ateneo Celebrates Women’s Month

This year Women’s Month was celebrated this year with the theme “Gender Equality, Empowerment and Resilience” which aimed to reflect on the opportunities and constraints embedded in the systems of power that women and girls must negotiate towards more inclusive decision-making and greater gender equality in participation and action. Whether this be at the national, local or community levels, or across different sectors of engagement such as climate change, environment, and disaster risk reduction.  As the 50th anniversary of co-education in Ateneo in 2023 approaches, the University takes stock of the gains of empowered women and find ways to address gaps in gender equality towards a future that is gender safe, gender inclusive and gender responsive. 

Headlining the month’s activities was the weekly episodes of the Institute of Philippine Culture’s Radyo Katipunan Program “Baka Naman Pwede” which features women in diverse fields such as student government, environmental protection and climate change, community leadership and academic research work.   

Climate Change and Gender Justice was also the topic of focus in the webinar entitled “Gender, Vulnerability and Climate Justice: Transformative Approaches to Community Resilience” which featured presentations by Dr. Emma Porio of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and CCARPH, Atty Amparita Sta. Maria of the Ateneo Law School and the URDUJA Women’s Desk, and Dr. Justin See of University of Canberra’s Centre for Sustainable Communities. 

INTACT Onboarding 2022

The 2nd run of onboarding and GST for freshies via the safe spaces module of InTACT (Introduction to Ateneo Culture) was implemented in both asynchronous and synchronous modalities from March 2-25.  The asynchronous module is comprised of five sub modules: (1) what is safe spaces? (2) defining boundaries and consent (3) Knowing concepts: SOGIE and SGBV (4) Knowing one’s boundaries and the importance of consent and (5) What can I do as a member of the Loyola Schools? These modules included short videos that featured the different offices of the University Decorum and Investigation System as well as the front lining offices and student organizations of the Loyola Schools such as the Office of Student Services (OSS) , the Office of Student Discipline (OSD), the Sanggunian’s Commission on Anti Sexual Misconduct and Violence (CASMV) and the Commission on Gender Equality (CGE).  Also introduced through the short videos was the work and members of the Loyola Schools Gender Focal Point Committee led by Isabel Nazareno of the History Department and Jessica Claudio of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

A plenary synchronous session was also held on March 16 entitled “Consent is Key: Importance of Consent in our Daily Interactions” where the speakers, from the Gender Hub, Mr. Ryan Camacho (training head) and Ms. Jeivi Nicdao (advocacy head) were joined by a panel of University and LS support groups for the Q&A.  The panel included Dr. Melissa Lao of the University Gender and Development Office, Dr. Mira Ofreneo of the University Gender Hub, Atty. Alma Pavia of the University Office of Decorum and Investigation, Isabel Nazareno and Jesse Claudio of the LS Gender Focal Point Committee, Michelle Go and Louise Sanchez of CASMV and Thea Santos of CGE.

Meet the University Gender Focal Point Committee Members

The University Gender Focal Point Committee members are a crucial part of the GAD Focal Point System which the University established in compliance with the CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No 1-2015 on Establishing the Policies and Guidelines on GAD in CHED and HEIs pursuant to the Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710; enacted in 2009) and the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act (RA 7877; enacted in 1995).

The University Gender Focal Point Committee will work closely with the University Gender and Development Office (UGDO) under the Office of the President. The committee’s main functions are as follows:

• Develop GAD policies and programs for recommendation to the President;
• Prepare the annual Gender Plan and Budget for submission to CHED;
• Coordinate, monitor and evaluate the implementation of the GAD plan; and
• Establish a system to ensure the University’s compliance with CMO No 1-2015 and related laws and issuances.

The members of the University Gender Focal Point Committee play key roles in their respective units as well:

• Katrina S. Marcelino, Gender Focal Point Person, Ateneo Grade Schoo
• Ria Abigael G. Ramos-Wamelda, JHS Gender Focal Point Committee Chair, Ateneo Junior High School
• Gaizel A. Adan, Gender Focal Point Committee Chair, Ateneo Senior High School
• Isabel Consuelo A. Nazareno and Jessica Sandra R. Claudio, Gender Focal Point Co-Chairs, Ateneo Loyola Schools
• Atty. Amparita S. Sta Maria, Gender Focal Point Person, Ateneo Professional Schools

In the University GFP Committee meeting held last March 24, the University GAD budget, Gender disaggregated data and in relation, a possible gender resource center were discussed along with unit specific issues.

March President’s Hour

The President’s Hour for March carried the theme “Ateneo Celebrates Women’s Month” and was highlighted by the presentation of the University Statement “Ateneo’s Shared Vision of Gender Equality: Aligning Ourselves in Solidarity with Women” which references the Beijing Platform for Action and the Society of Jesus’ Decree 14 from GC 34 “Jesuits and the Situation of Women in the Church and Society” along with SDG 5 “Gender Equality.”

The University structures to address the Gender initiatives in the Strategic Plan were also identified: the University Gender and Development Office, the University Office of Decorum and Investigation and the University Gender Hub. A virtual tour of the Gender Hub and a short discussion on their services and experiences was also part of this President’s hour. 

Selected University Gender Focal Point Committee members from the different units were also able to give the highlights of their work with their respective major stakeholders.  Finally, rounding out the hour, was a quick but meaningful conversation between Fr. Bobby Yap and the Sanggunian Presidents from the Loyola Schools and the Senior High School, Kara Angan, herself an ASHS alumnus and Jian Delos Santos, who is part of the senior high school cohort which experienced the online learning environment during the pandemic.

Questions on Gender and the Strategic Plan, Co-education, and return to onsite activities were also addressed by Fr. Bobby during the President’s hour.