By Chessa Pae Faustino, StratCom Correspondent

Committed to champion social justice and human rights, Mariano Marcos State University launched an awareness campaign on its Equal Opportunity Policy (EOP) and Rules on Anti-Sexual Harassment (ASH) yesterday, March 28, at the University Function Hall.

The awareness campaign was attended by the MMSU faculty and staff, and other stakeholders such as local government and barangay officials, police officers, legal officers, guidance counselors, tricycle operators and drivers, and dormitory supervisors in Batac City.

Dr. Fides Bitanga, OIC-Director of the MMSU Human Resource Office, explained that the EOP aims to create a healthy workplace and to improve services by considering all employees and applicants to the university equally. He emphasized, “differences may exist among us, however, the university strives to reduce these differences so the gap may be bridged.”

For her part, Atty. Saniata Marcos, university legal officer and committee on decorum and investigation chair, said the ASH rules seek to protect the dignity of humans and their right to humane treatment, promote efficiency and morale of members of the MMSU community, encourage proper decorum in work, and adopt effective mechanism for sexual harassment cases.

After the presentation, an open forum was facilitated to further clarify points on the EOP and ASH rules.

Engr. Ami Ruth Cocson, vice president for planning and development, stressed the contribution of MMSU stakeholders in the implementation of the policy and guidelines.

“This campaign reflects the university’s strong push for equality, equity, and justice among the members of the MMSU community and our extended families,” she mused.

The awareness campaign is in line with the celebration of National Women’s Month in MMSU.

Prior this, the university created its CODI, a special body that investigate and act complaints of sexual harassment in the MMSU system. (HLY/JVBT/DPT/SCO, StratCom)