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.

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 

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.

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).