By Ma. Karel Mariñas, Intern

Agenda ng kababaihan tungo sa kaunlaran.

This mantra was echoed by the Mariano Marcos State University in celebrating the 2022 National Women’s Month this March.

The month-long celebration lined up various activities that promoted women empowerment and gender equality in the university. Events were organized by the university’s Gender Focal Point System (GFPS), Research and Planning directorates, and the Office for Student Affairs and Services.

The university kicked-off the month-long activities with a thanksgiving service conducted on March 8 with Prof. Beatriz S. Malab, a retired MMSU professor and former GAD focal person and preacher.

Leading the launch, MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis encouraged university constituents “to continue bringing in great ideas to incorporate gender and cultural sensitivity for all our work.”

On March 21, various Ilokano-inspired food dishes were showcased during the first-ever Ilocos Food Innovation Cook Fest. Nine student-teams from the CAFSD, CBEA, CIT, and CTE participated in the competition for innovative food recipes and appetizers.

In celebration of the Indigenous People’s Day, the university also conducted the first-ever Iluko Inabel fashion contest titled ‘Rubuat ken Aruat 2022: The Ilokano Identity thru Traditional Clothing on March 25.  Participating faculty and students confidently and graciously flaunted their Inabel outfits during the competition. Employees and students also wore inabel and other indigenous attires or accessories to help promote appreciation of traditional and indigenous clothing.

Moreover, MMSU students who come from indigenous communities convened in a cultural engagement activity dubbed ‘We Belong 2.0’ at Teatro Ilocandia on same day.

The identity appreciation activity enabled the students to share their culture with the other members of the MMSU community. This also served as jumpstart of their engagements to all student activities that they plan to carry out throughout the academic year. Initiated by the MMSU Advocates for Cultural Development, the undertaking is university’s way of recognizing IP communities for their significant contributions in nation-building.

On March 26, a community webinar that highlights language, science, and culture was conducted. The Women Talk is a new platform for MMSU women to cultivate a more sensitive and nurturing environment for all women in the society. Dr. Marlina L. Lino, English professor and faculty association president, tackled gender-fair language, while Dr. Doreen Domingo, biology professor and Graduate School dean, presented inclusive culture-sensitive science education in a responsive university community.

Lastly, bringing together the academic community, the university unveiled its various gender and development studies in the first-ever virtual GAD research congress on March 29. Participating students and faculty members presented their research studies on women empowerment and their roles toward sustainable development.

The congress also served as an avenue in raising consciousness and interest in conducting GAD studies in the future.

Further, advocacy campaign competitions such as vlog-making, TikTok, digital poster making, debate, essay writing, and photography were also organized by the University Student Council.

MMSU’s celebration has been led by Dr. Marlowe U. Aquino, the overall coordinator, and Ms. Nataliza Llapitan, GAD mainstreaming and monitoring system focal person. 

The MMSU Women’s Month culminated today. In the closing program, winners of various contested events were awarded with cash prizes and certificates. (HLY/JVBT/DPTJ, StratCom)