UGDO Bulletin - January to April 2024

The Ateneo Higher Education Gender Policy coverage now includes all Higher Education Units

The Ateneo Higher Education Policy Statement on Building a Gender Inclusive, Gender Responsive and Gender Safe Community (first adopted by the former Loyola Schools in December 2018) was re-issued on 30 January 2024 as the Ateneo de Manila Policy Statement on Building a Gender Inclusive, Gender Responsive and Gender Safe Community.  This comes “With the integration of the Loyola Schools and the Professional Schools into one Higher Education cluster, and upon the endorsement of the Deans of the Graduate School of Business, School of Government, School of Law, and School of Medicine and Public Health.”  Further, we are enjoined to “as one Higher Education Community, work together to achieve our aspiration to make our school a home for all, respectful of the uniqueness of each member of our community.” 

For the complete memo, please visit https://www.ateneo.edu/central/policies/he-gender

Gender Sensitivity Training and Onboarding

2024 began with the TFI (Teacher Formation Institute) Orientation for New and Returning faculty which was held last 9 January 2024 at Faber Hall 101. Representatives of the University Gender and Development Office, the University Gender Hub, and The University Office of Decorum and Investigation presented on the topic “University Gender Policies” from 3:35 – 4:30 pm.  Questions from the floor included gender fair education and good practices in teaching and learning towards more inclusive classrooms.

New Partners for onsite and online Gender Sensitivity Training and Onboarding and Other events

The University Decorum and Investigation System was invited by the Ateneo Law School Student Council and the URDUJA to participate in the GST for 1^st year students. This took place on 20 February 2024 via online session. 

Pathways to Higher Education invited the Gender Hub led by training coordinator Mr. Ryan Camacho to give Gender Sensitivity Training and discuss related topics at the Lighthouse Arete.  The University Gender and Development Office, represented by Dr. Melissa Lao was also present to contribute to the discussion. 

The Ateneo Alumni Association supported the March of Women Fun Run as part of the 50 years of Co-education celebration of the Ateneo de Manila University.  The University Gender and Development Office has also started a conversation, initially on 17 February 2024, on increasing the number of activities for and by the Women of Ateneo.

New Formats in Gender Sensitivity Training and Onboarding

Gender Module for HE Students and Ateneo de Manila Employees

The University Gender and Development Office released UGDO memo no. 4 last 6 December 2023 on the Mandatory completion of the Onboarding and Gender Sensitivity Training (GST) Module.  The module is for completion by:

1. All full-time and part-time faculty, administrators, professionals, and staff members of the Ateneo de Manila University.
2. All Higher Education Students of the Ateneo de Manila University (except undergraduate students who will take this module via INTACT)

The online module is meant to ensure that all university employees and students covered by the Code and Rules receive Gender Sensitivity Training at the earliest opportunity.  Onsite seminars, workshops, training, and the like may also serve to further supplement the training given via the online module.

Gender Conversations for INTACT

The INTACT program in cooperation with the University Decorum and Investigation System revised the format of the plenary component of Module 2: Safe Spaces from a large group format (Gender Plenaries) to a more discussion-oriented engagement now referred to as “Gender Conversations.”  This year, the INTACT cohort was able to choose between topics that they had previously suggested in their INTACT classes.  On 2 March and 12 March, six thematic discussions were held in various venues across the Loyola Heights campus.  These included:

• Critical Masculinity
• Consent and Boundaries
• Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV)
• Creating Safe Spaces
• The Active Bystander
• Being an Ally

The reception to this format was generally well accepted by the freshie batch and plans for next year are already underway.

Research Related Activities

Launch of Research Grant on Women and Gender 

Ateneo de Manila Alumnae Women and Gender Studies Professorial Chair was merged with other donations of similar intent in SY 2022-2023 to be able to serve a wider number of stakeholders in the former Loyola Schools. This new grant will continue to honor the spirit and fulfill the main purpose of the original, which is to support research and other initiatives that contribute to raising awareness and understanding of issues about women and gender.

Last 19 April 2024, the new ADMU Research Grant on Women and Gender was launched during the 6^th Graduate Research Festival with introductory remarks by Ms. Isabel Nazareno, co-chair of the Higher Ed Gender Focal Point Committee and administrator of the Grant.   This will be utilized to fund Ateneo de Manila Higher Education graduate students focusing on women and gender issues (including thesis and dissertation research and writing activities).  For more information, please email genderdev@ateneo.edu. 

UREO seminar series on ethics in research involving human participants 

The University Research Ethics Office (UREO) partnered with the University Gender Hub and the University Gender and Development Office (UGDO) to a seminar on Benefit-Risk Assessment in Research Involving Human Participants as part of UREO's Seminar Series on ethics in research involving human participants. The speakers to the seminar were Mr. Ronald Cruz, Director of UREO, and Mr. Ryan Camacho, training coordinator of the University Gender Hub. The seminar was held last 20 March 2024 at the Ching Tan Room. 

Women’s Month Activities

Women Watch: Theory on and Practice of Women in Politics

The Department of Political Science and University Gender and Development Office (UGDO) of the Ateneo de Manila University, in cooperation with the Asia Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect-Philippine Office (APRtoP-PO) and the Women’s Studies Association of the Philippines (WSAP) convened the first ever Women Watch: Theory on and Practice of Women in Politics last 18 March 2024 at the Leong Hall Auditorium.  This series was envisioned to be “a space for women to share experiences and insights on how they navigate, struggle, and negotiate different and intersecting political spaces.”  As part of the Women’s Month celebration, this activity seeks to contribute to discussions on “Investing in Inclusivity: Power of Women Visionaries, Change Makers, and Disruptors.”

The honorable speakers at this year’s Women Watch event were: Atty Leni Robredo, Mayor Sitti Hattaman and MP Froilyn Tenorio Mendoza who shared their unique experiences as Vice President of the Philippines, Mayor of Basilan and MP of BARMM.  Sanggunian President Bernice Mendoza and Dr. Diana Mendoza of the Department of Political Science shared their thoughts on the experiences of the three women in politics.  

Recorded Discussion can be accessed via this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6nJbywZGsU&ab_channel=AteneodeManilaUniversity

Patricia Evangelista’s Some People Need Killing Book Talk

The Department of Political Science with the Rizal Library and the University Gender and Development Office organized the Book Talk of Patricia Evangelista for her internationally acclaimed book “Some People Need Killing.”  This was held last 12 April 2024 at the Loft, Arete. 

The event also featured Ms. Evangelista in conversation with Dr. Ambeth Ocampo before she fielded questions from the audience.  Proceeds from the sale of her book for this event were donated to the families affected by the war on drugs.   

March of Women Fun Run 

The first March of Women Fun Run was held last 14 April 2024 at 6:00 am.  The race began and ended at the Senior High School Grounds.  This event was organized by the Commission on Anti Sexual Misconduct and Violence and the Commission on Gender Equality (CASMV and CGE) of the Ateneo de Manila Sanggunian.  

Winners were: 

• Rafael Eduardo Samson 
• Derick Bance 
• Arthur Salvador 

A percentage of the proceeds from the run were donated to the chosen organizations of each winner, namely, Kasuso: Philippine Foundation for Breast Cancer, Girls Got Game PH, and Family Planning Organization of the Philippines.

Risa Hontiveros: A Safe Space Conversation

Senator Risa Hontiveros, recipient of the 2023 Government Service Award (a Traditional University Award of Ateneo de Manila recognizing the life and works of men and women in our society who exemplify the values of the University) gave her public lecture last 17 April 2024 at the Loft, Arete. 

Her list of principally authored and co-authored laws includes the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicine Act, Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act, Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act, Expanded Maternity Leave, and the Universal Health Care Act. She was the principal author of the landmark legislation Philippine Mental Health Law, which upholds the protection and promotion of the rights of all Filipinos with their psychiatric, neurologic, and psychosocial health needs. Much like the laws she has championed, this event linked her advocacies with the concerns of stakeholders: students, faculty, formators, and staff within the University Community in beyond.  

The discussion with Senator Hontiveros was facilitated by Dean Randy Tuano of the Ateneo School of Government, Dr. Carmel Abao of the Department of Political Science and Dr. Melissa Lao of the University Gender and Development Office and covered topics  leadership and advocacy, opposition and engagement, and her vision for the future.  

The event featured performances by Entablado (under the direction of Jethro Tenorio), the Ateneo College Glee Club, Cooky Chua and Bayang Barrios. 

External Meetings and Events

The Theology Department’s through the support and donations of Kwan Laurel, and in partnership with the Department of Theology and Religious Education of De La Salle University held “Makinig at Makipag-usap 2: Conversations on Sexuality and Gender in the Catholic Church” last 13 March 2024 at Leong Hall with guest speaker Fr. Bryan Massingale, the James and Nancy Buckman Professor in Applied Christian Ethics at Fordham University in New York. Responses were made by student advocates of De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University, Dr. Michael S. Campos, Assoc Professor of Theology, De La Salle University and Dr. Melissa Lao, Director of the University Gender and Development Office. 

Dr. Mira Ofreneo and Dr. Melissa Lao attended the Research Colloquium on “Safeguarding in Academic Settings” held in Rome on 21 and 22 March 2024.  This was sponsored by the IADC - Institute of Anthropology. Interdisciplinary Studies on Human Dignity and Care, Pontifical Gregorian University.