An orientation on gender awareness and sensitivity and anti-sexual harassment (ASH) for faculty members, REPS, and staff of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS), UP Visayas was held at the AV Hall, CFOS, UPV Miagao campus on September 11, 2024.
CFOS dean Prof. Dr. Harold M. Monteclaro requested for a special orientation on the important topics especially for the newly-hired personnel as part of the College quality assurance process.
“I requested this special orientation for an intimate discussion about gender awareness and sensitivity and anti-sexual harassment,” Monteclaro told the participants. “We want to make our university, our workplace a safe space for everybody,” the dean added. He stated that through this orientation, “we can also protect ourselves (from sexual harassment).”
The GAD and ASH orientation is among the regular activities for CFOS to ensure that its personnel are acquainted with the policies, procedures, standards and programs governing all UP constituents.
Prof. Kezzie Lyn B. Hilado, officer-in-charge of the UPV Gender and Development Program (UPV-GDP), talked about gender awareness and sensitivity.
She underscored the significance of the orientation for “gender awareness raising aims to increase general sensitivity, understanding and knowledge about gender (in) equality.”
She explained that gender equality is necessary to achieve peaceful and progressive societies. She presented the sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) and GAD terms, legal basis and other gender-based laws, and use of gender fair language.
Hilado likewise introduced the UPV- GDP and its activities.
Meanwhile, Prof. Aniceta Patricia T. Alingasa, officer-in-charge of UPV Office of Anti-Sexual Harassment, tackled the anti-sexual harassment.
She defined sexual harassment as “unwanted, unwelcome, uninvited behaviour of sexual in nature or inappropriate sexual advances or offensive remark about a person’s sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.”
She discussed the various sorts of sexual harassment, including verbal, visual and online, as well as physical sexual harassment.
Alingasa introduced the UP Anti-Sexual Harassment Code, which applies to the whole UP community, including students, teaching and non-teaching personnel both on and off campus.
She urged the participants to report any sexual harassment to their office.
“Remember that sexual harassment is a crime. You should not suffer in silence. You need to speak up,” she stressed, encouraging them to retain all evidence for future reference.
Hilado and Alingasa clarified questions raised by the participants during the open forum.
