The University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) director, Dr. Marie Aubrey J. Villaceran, participated in the 1st Asia Pacific Women in Leadership (APWiL) In-Person Summit 2024 on June 22-23 at the University of Auckland, New Zealand as a core group member. She was joined by APWiL mentees from UP Diliman, Asst. Prof. Maritess D. Cruz of the Department of Women and Development Studies, College of Social Work and Community Development and Asst. Prof. Irish Joy G. Deocampo of the Department of English and Comparative Literature, College of Arts and Letters.

The APWiL In-Person Summit 2024 brought together, for the first time, participants and alumni of the APWiL Mentoring Program to discuss gender equity in the Pacific Rim region: the current state of gender equity in academia, strategies and practices to improve gender equity, and the experiences of APWiL Mentoring Program participants.

Three agency-hired staff of the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) were recognized for their exemplary service during the Pagkilala sa mga Natatanging Paglilingkod ng mga Agency-Hired na Kawani on 11 June 2024 at the School of Labor and Industrial Relations (SoLAIR) Auditorium in UP Diliman. The awardees and awards are: (1) Eva C. Cordita, custodial worker with 3 years of service, one of the five Natatanging Agency-Hired na Kawani; (2) Jannet I. Rocero, security guard with 4 years and 9 months of service; and (3) Liwayway Raquel J. Rivera, security guard with 18 years and 9 months of service. The event was hosted by the UP Office of the Vice President for Administration (OVPA). 

[With a report from Angeli Marie G. Narvaez]

The University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) hosted the book talk on Historical Biographies of Cross-Cultural Adoptees featuring “Little Drops: Cherished Children of Singapore’s Past” by Dr. Theresa W. Devasahayam on 23 May 2024 at the UPCWGS Conference Room. 

Dr. Devasahayam, a family and gender anthropologist, is the author of several books of which the latest deals with child adoption in Malaya from the 1930s to the early 1970s. The book contains the stories of 15 adoptees in Singapore. It is a compilation of biographies based on historical facts about the pain of separation and the lure of love, and how these themes constantly collide.

The University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) met with the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) on 15 March 2024 at the PCW to discuss good practices and effective strategies to ensure PCW endorsement of Gender and Development (GAD) Budget and Plans as well as GAD Accomplishment Reports.

In the same visit, the UPCWGS handed over a collection of its GAD-related publications to the PCW Library.

[With a report from Maidy Lynn E. Lim]

The Philippine Financial & Inter-Industry Pride (PFIP), in collaboration with the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) and the generous support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Philippines and S&P Global Foundation, launched the PFIP 2024 LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion Report on 30 April 2024 at the School of Statistics Auditorium in UP Diliman.

Participated by over 100 companies from multiple industries and business centers across the Philippines, PFIP’s latest research documents the progress made in lifting the overall experience of Filipino LGBTQ+ working professionals while also identifying opportunity areas for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) champions and executive allies within the corporate pride community.

Hats off to Jeyziel Mae G. Burce for completing her internship at the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) with awesome achievements! Ms. Burce helped organize successful activities for the meaningful celebration of International Women’s Month. We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to accompany her in her learning and growth as an upcoming development worker in our country.

[With a report from Maidy Lynn E. Lim]

The University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) conducted a benchmarking activity with the Gender and Development Advocacies Office (GAD) and the Social Innovation Research Center (SIRC) of the Batangas State University (BatStateU) regarding the development of a specialized research journal for the BatStateU on 9 May 2024 at the UPCWGS Library. Guests from BatStateU include Assoc. Prof. Maria Theresa A. Hernandez, Assistant Director of GAD; Jaika Almira R. Agena, Faculty with Special Assignment of SIRC; and Alexis U. Bondoc, Administrative Assistant of SIRC. 

The University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) Library received donated copies of the publication titled “The 2019 Expanded Maternity Leave Law: A Law Whose Progressive Potential Has Yet to Be Fully Realized” by Ma. Victoria R. Raquiza, Duke Thomas G. Dolorical, and Roja Salvador on 6 May 2024. Dr. Raquiza of the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) personally delivered the books to the UPCWGS. 

The publication is now part of the robust collection of gender and development (GAD)-related literature in the UPCWGS Library. Researchers are welcome to access this and all our other library resources from Monday to Friday during office hours. 

[With a report from Maidy Lynn E. Lim]

The University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) visited the UP System Ugnayan ng Pahinungód to hand over copies of the book, “Engendering Inclusive and Transformative Early Childhood Care and Development,” and the “Review of Women’s Studies” journal on 30 April 2024. The UPCWGS publications are to be sent to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) for distribution in the region.

[With a report from Maidy Lynn E. Lim]

This week, the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) met with Mr. Yul Olaya, Chief of the Curriculum and Instructions Division of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE).

In collaboration with the UP System Ugnayan ng Pahinungód and BARMM MBHTE, our book on “Engendering Inclusive and Transformative Early Childhood Care and Development” along with other UPCWGS publications will soon be physically accessible to our communities in BARMM.

[With a report from Maidy Lynn E. Lim]