By DANIEL P. TAPAOAN, JR.

Some 100 faculty and staff underwent a webinar on Philippine Gender and Development (GAD) approach and strategy last September 23 to strengthen the gender mainstreaming (GM) efforts in the university.

Participants in the webinar comprised the Gender and Development Focal Point System (GFPS) of the University.

Ms. Arlene I. Pascual, a certified GAD trainer and a member of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), served as the resource speaker in the session who also facilitated the team in determining the MMSU’s level of compliance to basic GM elements, and on how to address the mainstreaming gaps in the school.

Pascual said that GM integrates a proper gender perspective into the preparation, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of an institution’s programs and policies to promote equality and to eliminate discrimination. 

MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis said that strengthening GM in the university entails the transformation of institutional structures, culture and practices anchored on MMSU’s core functions on instruction, research, extension, and production.  

To make it happen, Dr. Agrupis urged the university officials to “consciously integrate GAD in MMSU’s regular operations in order to move forward and eventually raise innovations and model programs that are inclusive.” 

Nataliza Llapitan, GFPS-GAD Mainstreaming Monitoring System focal person, said that prior to the conduct of the activity, MMSU conducted a GAD Training Needs and Assessment for GFPS members from July to August this year. The event aimed to determine the levels of knowledge, attitude, perception, and skills of MMSU officials on GAD principles and concepts. 

Llapitan said the TNA results implied that university’s GFPS members need to be trained first so that MMSU can truly strengthen its GM efforts. 

In addition, MMSU also joined the GAD webinar sessions spearheaded by the PCW held on September 10, 29 and on October 13 and 15. (StratCom)