As part of its activities for the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women and in observance of International Human Rights Day, the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS), in partnership with the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission (HRVVMC), the Survivors’ Hub (Martial Law ’72-’86), and the Center for Women’s Resources (CWR), conducted Tao sa Tao: Mga Totoong Kwento ng Martial Law on 9 December 2024 at the UPCWGS Conference Room. Resource persons were Ma. Cristina P. Bawagan and Nilda G. Fullon of Survivors’ Hub, Patrick I. Claudio of HRVVMC, and Sharmaine Soledad of CWR.
Dr. Carolyn I. Sobritchea (front and center) of the UPCWSFI and Nilda G. Fullon (in pink) with the participants of Tao sa Tao: Mga Totoong Kwento ng Martial Law on December 9
Tao sa Tao is a project by the HRVVMC launched in 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Martial Law. It gathers survivor stories to inform students and the public about human rights violations during 1972-1986 and counter historical distortions through face-to-face storytelling.
In addition, the event also explored the relationship between conflict and gender-based violence, emphasizing women’s critical roles in addressing this issue and their contributions to women, peace, and security.
As part of its founding anniversary celebration, the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) launched the latest issue of its journal, the Review of Women’s Studies Volume XXXIII, on 6 December 2024 at the UPCWGS Conference Room.
The featured works for this issue of the journal are:
Research Articles
Navigating Tiwala in Disasters: Rural Women Leaders and Social Constructions of Trust With International Humanitarian Organisations by Kara Danielle Medina
Gendering Legitimacy: The Case of a Women-Led Community-Based Organization in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City, Philippines by Ervin F. Grana
Understanding Motherhood During COVID-19: Experiences of Mother-Teachers in Distance Education by Holden Kenneth G. Alcazaren, Andrew Bonifacio L. Clete, Bianca Camille G. Clete, and Arnielle Mari H. Resuello
Women’s Midlife as Gendered Development: The Lived Experiences of Selected Filipino Women in Midlife by Amapola L. Baes
The Paradoxes of Mobile Care Work: The Case of Aging Filipina Australians in a Digital Era by Earvin Charles B. Cabalquinto and Athena Charanne R. Presto
Creative Works
Women of Western Visayas by Maria Amihan Tamayo Panes
(From top to bottom, left to right) Kara Danielle Medina, Ervin F. Grana, Asst. Prof. Holden Kenneth G. Alcazaren, Asst. Prof. Amapola L. Baes, Athena Charanne R. Presto, and Dr. Maria Amihan Tamayo Panes during the Review of Women‘s Studies Volume XXXIII launch on December 6
The Review of Women’s Studies (RWS) is a refereed journal published by the UPCWGS. The journal serves as a forum where ideas on issues and concerns affecting the lives of women, seen from the analytical perspectives of different disciplines, may be exchanged. It encourages and seeks to publish research that employs feminist methodologies and that adheres to the principles of feminist research, bearing in mind the intersectionality of gender, class, religion, age, and education.
As part of its activities for the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women, the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) conducted Unhappily Ever After: A Roundtable Discussion on the Absolute Divorce Act (House Bill 9349) on 2 December 2024 at the UPCWGS Conference Room.
Discussants were Atty. Leo D. Battad of the UP College of Law Gender Law and Policy Program, Prof. Macrina A. Morados of the UP Institute of Islamic Studies, and Christian Ang of the UP Student Catholic Action. The discussion was facilitated by Dr. Rowena A. Laguilles-Timog of the UPCWGS.
This event aims to explore the potential advantages and disadvantages of the Divorce Bill, with a focus on its impact on Filipino families, particularly on women and children.
Dr. Rowena A. Laguilles-Timog of the UPCWGS (right), Atty. Leo D. Battad, and Christian Ang (both front and center) with the participants of the Roundtable Discussion on the Divorce Bill on December 2 [Photo by Rey M. Madriaga]
Navigating Tiwala in Disasters: Rural Women Leaders and Social Constructions of Trust With International Humanitarian Organisations by Kara Danielle Medina
Gendering Legitimacy: The Case of a Women-Led Community-Based Organization in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City, Philippines by Ervin F. Grana
Understanding Motherhood During COVID-19: Experiences of Mother-Teachers in Distance Education by Holden Kenneth G. Alcazaren, Andrew Bonifacio L. Clete, Bianca Camille G. Clete, and Arnielle Mari H. Resuello
Women’s Midlife as Gendered Development: The Lived Experiences of Selected Filipino Women in Midlife by Amapola L. Baes
The Paradoxes of Mobile Care Work: The Case of Aging Filipina Australians in a Digital Era by Earvin Charles B. Cabalquinto and Athena Charanne R. Presto
Creative Works
Women of Western Visayas by Maria Amihan Tamayo Panes
You may view the journal here until 3 January 2025.
The University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) conducted the Zine-Making for Feminist Advocacy: A Workshop with BLTX’s Conchitina Cruz on 20 November 2024 at the UPCWGS Conference Room. This event is the 11th session of the “Site of Convergence: Weaving Tapestries of Knowledge” lecture series.
In this workshop, participants were taught how to use the zine as a medium for feminist advocacy. Participants were also given time to create their own zines and share their works.
The workshop facilitator, Conchitina Cruz, teaches creative writing and literature at UP Diliman. Her books of poetry include “Dark Hours,” “elsewhere held and lingered,” “There is no emergency,” and “Modus.” She received her PhD in English from State University of New York (SUNY) Albany. She co-organizes the small press/DIY expo Better Living Through Xeroxography (BLTX).
Dr. Marie Aubrey J. Villaceran and Dr. Rowena A. Laguilles-Timog of the UPCWGS and Dr. Conchitina Cruz with the participants of the Zine-Making for Feminist Advocacy workshop on November 20
We stand together in solidarity! The University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) is joining the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) in the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women.
As part of this campaign, we’re hosting a series of activities including trainings, workshops, and awareness campaigns to empower and raise consciousness on the importance of ending violence against women (VAW).
25-26 November 2024 (Monday-Tuesday), 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM: Engendering the Curriculum Training (for UP Faculty and REPS)
2 December 2024 (Monday), 9:00 AM – 12:00 NN: Strokes of Resistance – Continuing the Struggle for Women’s Emancipation! (in partnership with the Center for Women’s Resources)
2 December 2024 (Monday), 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Roundtable Discussion on the Divorce Bill
9 December 2024 (Monday), 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Tao sa Tao: Mga Totoong Kwento ng Kababaihan ng Martial Law (in partnership with the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission and the Center for Women’s Resources)
Let’s raise our voices, break the silence, and take a stand for gender equality and the safety of all.
As part of its founding anniversary celebration, the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) invites everyone to the launch of the latest issue of its journal, the Review of Women’s Studies Volume XXXIII, on 6 December 2024 (Friday), 1:30 PM at the UPCWGS Conference Room.
Navigating Tiwala in Disasters: Rural Women Leaders and Social Constructions of Trust With International Humanitarian Organisations by Kara Danielle Medina
Gendering Legitimacy: The Case of a Women-Led Community-Based Organization in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City, Philippines by Ervin F. Grana
Understanding Motherhood During COVID-19: Experiences of Mother-Teachers in Distance Education by Holden Kenneth G. Alcazaren, Andrew Bonifacio L. Clete, Bianca Camille G. Clete, and Arnielle Mari H. Resuello
Women’s Midlife as Gendered Development: The Lived Experiences of Selected Filipino Women in Midlife by Amapola L. Baes
The Paradoxes of Mobile Care Work: The Case of Aging Filipina Australians in a Digital Era by Earvin Charles B. Cabalquinto and Athena Charanne R. Presto
Creative Works
Women of Western Visayas by Maria Amihan Tamayo Panes
Dr. Marie Aubrey J. Villaceran, director of the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS); Dr. Carolyn I. Sobritchea, director of the UP Center for Women’s Studies Foundation, Inc. (UPCWSFI); and UPCWGS staff were part of the 691 delegates at the opening of the three-day first ministerial-level International Conference on Women, Peace and Security (ICWPS) on 28 October 2024 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Manila.
Dr. Carolyn I. Sobritchea, Dr. Marie Aubrey J. Villaceran, and Marianne Joy C. Gervacio during the first day of the ICWPS 2024 on October 28 at the PICC
With the theme, “Forging Collaboration and Convergence for Advancing Women, Peace and Security,” the ICWPS 2024 is to serve as an international stocktaking on the implementation of the women, peace, and security agenda ahead of the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325). It aims to contribute to efforts to carve pathways and develop collaborative strategies for overcoming barriers to women’s full and meaningful participation in peacemaking and the mainstreaming of gender in the promotion of peace and security.
Start of Duty: November 2024 Deadline of Submission: 18 October 2024 Note: These are contractual positions, with employment subject to evaluation and renewal.
Interested applicants may send their resume and other requirements as attachments to [email protected].
You may also submit printed requirements in a sealed envelope to the Administrative Office, Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, Magsaysay Ave. corner Ylanan St., University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.
The Sexual Health and Empowerment (SHE) Research Project, led by the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) and the UP Center for Women’s Studies Foundation, Inc. (UPCWSFI) in partnership with Oxfam Pilipinas, is a transformative initiative committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in the Philippines. Over a period of four years, the project strove to surface the SRHR perspectives and experiences of marginalized communities in the Philippines, focusing on inclusivity, justice, and empowerment, and on reshaping SRHR research frameworks through feminist, intersectional, and creative approaches.
By adopting an intersectional approach, the SHE Project sought to understand the multifaceted obstacles related to SRHR in the Philippines. This approach recognizes that individuals hold diverse identities based on gender, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, religion, disability, and sexuality, etc., influencing their experiences and access to SRHR services. Thus, the research was designed to be inclusive of and sensitive to the perspectives of vulnerable and underrepresented groups. The project particularly highlighted the narratives of female and male children, adolescents, adults, and older persons, indigenous peoples, Muslims, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ individuals.
The research utilized innovative and artistic methods – movement, literary, and visual arts – as well as focus group discussions, which allowed a deeper and more empathetic understanding of the participants’ experiences and viewpoints. Grounded in feminist standpoint epistemology, it ensured that the perspectives and voices of vulnerable individuals were central to the research process.
Envisioned as a catalyst for significant improvements in SRHR practices in the Philippines, the project prioritized developing actionable recommendations that address the unique needs of different sectors, contributing to a more holistic approach to advancing SRHR, promoting bodily autonomy, and preventing gender-based violence.
The culmination of these efforts is featured in the book, Pasya, Laya, at Sining: Reshaping SRHR from the Margins, launched on 24 May 2024. This pioneering work presents the research findings, creative methods utilized, policy recommendations, and sheds a sharper light on the multidimensional terrain of SRHR.
The hope is that this book will serve as a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and advocates. It encourages continued dialogue, research, and action, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that sexual and reproductive health and rights are attainable for all.
Program Assistant/Program Manager (2023-2024) Rafaella Potestades
Admin and Finance Officers Donabel Cabuyao and Cecile Laison
Creative Experts and Workshop Facilitators
Movement: Sabrina Laya Gacad, Raul Raquitico Jr.
Lifestories: Marie Aubrey Villaceran, Conchitina Cruz, Bernard Julian A. Patiño, Jasmine Cruz
Visual: Amos Manlangit, Flordeliz Rañola, Fernand Vincent Hermoso
Cluster Experts
LGBTQ+: Beatriz Torre
Adults and Older Persons: Monina Aquino, Ana Marie Antonio
Children and Adolescents: Excelsa Tongson
IPs and Muslim (Deputy Program Manager 2023-2024): Dawn Marie Castro
Persons with Disabilities: Raquel Ignacio (with support from Laniza R. Lacsamana)
Psychosocial Assistance Provider Viola Jo Ann G. Torres (with support from Laniza R. Lacsamana, Joie Cortina, Jaclyn Marie Cauyan)
Co-Facilitators
Gender: Amanda Lee Centeno-Hach, Ana Marie Antonio
Muslim: Kharis M. Sumaguina, Samsoden D. Potawan, Jamal R. Pandapatan
Children: Sarah Romero, Kathreen Joy C. De Luna, Katrina Beatriz C. Cayron
Local Coordinators
LGBTQ+ Cluster: Rafaella Potestades
Persons with Disabilities Cluster: Sanny Flaviano Bautista
Tuguegarao Adult Cluster: Jhemarie P. Tamanu
Negros Oriental Adult Cluster: Luz M. Bador
Muslim Cluster: Sittie Nur Dayhanna Mohamad
Indigenous Peoples Cluster: Milina L. Jeruta
Older Persons Cluster: Kaya Alcantara
Children Cluster: Joyzel San Valentin
Adolescents Cluster: Aaron Durante
Documenters Anabelle Badilla-Gubuan, Angelica Enario, Arche de los Santos, Charles Mangga, Chloe Francisco, Chrismel Ray Guinsan Tabujara, Fermina Vergara, Jake Alrianne Rol, Jersey Cacalda, Jhulia Datu, John Albert Pagunsan, Nathan Austria, Kaya Alcantara, Ken Paolo Gilo, Rennie Ann Arcena
FSL Interpreters Catherine Joy F. Villareal, Jemuel Japson, Mark Jayobo, Ember Parpa – Palma
Feminist Media Lab Maritess Cruz, Nicole Frances Rosacay, Miguel Potestades, Rem Salvan, Reynald Ramirez, Searle Kathleen Lira, Kit John de Galicia, Gerlyn Mae Mariano, Joie Cortina
For more information and collaboration:
UP Center for Women’s and Gender Studies Magsaysay Avenue corner Ylanan Street, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
