The UPLB Gender Center, in collaboration with the UP Manila Center for Gender and Women Studies (UP Manila-CGWS), and the UP-Philippine General Hospital (UP-GH), held the special event, “Benchmarking and Sharing of Gender and Development (GAD) Best Practices.” 

The event occurred from 9 AM to 12 PM at the UNILAB Multi-Purpose Hall, 6th Floor, Henry Sy Sr. Hall.

The gathering aimed to foster collaboration, exchange knowledge, and enhance understanding of effective GAD strategies across institutions. 

Organizers said that sharing best practices and learning from each other’s experiences can further strengthen their commitment to gender equality and development.

The program commenced with an introduction and opening remarks by Dr. Leilanie Apostol-Nicodemus, director of the UP Manila-CGWS. She set the tone for the event, highlighting the importance of gender mainstreaming in various sectors.

The first segment of the program focused on the “UP Manila and PGH GAD Mainstreaming Programs.” 

This included discussions on gender mainstreaming initiatives in UP Manila and UP-PGH, as well as on mental, sexual, and reproductive health advocacy in collaboration with higher education institutions. 

The speakers were the following personnel from UP Manila-UP-PGH: Dr. Leilanie Apostol-Nicodemus, director of the UP-CGWS; Dr. Sherri Ann Suplido from the College of Medicine; Julienne Ivan D. Soberano, faculty member at the College of Nursing and gender focal person; Jerome Ong, coordinator of the Office of the Gender Program, College of Arts and Sciences; Sophia Elise D. Arguson, collections officer and gender focal person of the Museum of a History of Ideas.

Following this, Genesis Giselle T. Baseleres, a researcher at the UPLB Gender Center discussed the GAD strategic framework and agenda in a presentation on “UPLB Gender Mainstreaming Programs.” 

Dr. Teri-Marie P. Laude, coordinator of the Reproductive Health Office (RHO) of the UPLB Gender Center, shared insights on its initiatives, including human papillomavirus vaccination (HPV) and human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted infections (HIV/STI) awareness campaigns. 

The program also featured a presentation on the “Digital Transformation Project: GAD Management Information System” by Jerica Mae S. Casipit, junior information and communication technology assistant of the UPLB-Gender Center Digital Transformation Team. 

Dr. Ana Katrina De Jesus, coordinator of the UPLB Office of Anti-Sexual Harassment (UPLB-OASH), concluded the presentations with a discussion on UPLB-OASH’s best practices.

Dr. Maria Teresa Julieta Benedicto, deputy director for administration at UP-PGH, emphasized the importance of continued collaboration in advancing gender and development initiatives in her closing speech.

After the sharing of best GAD practices and benchmarking activities with UP Manila and UP-PGH, the UPLB Gender Center and OASH teams visited LoveYourself, Inc. to discuss ways to further strengthen their partnership in providing sexual and reproductive health services within the university.
LoveYourself Inc. is a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to empowering individuals by fostering self-worth and promoting healthy living. Founded by Dr. Ronivin Pagtakhan, the organization offers a safe space and community where self-awareness, self-care, and sharing are encouraged to cultivate personal growth and resilience. (Saira Mae R. Saipudin)