CSC-Sorsogon, PGADC conduct Gender Sensitivity Seminar for city barangays

By: Bennie A. Recebido

Photo by: Von Andre Labalan

SORSOGON CITY, September 18 – The Civil Service Commission (CSC) -Sorsogon Field Office in partnership with the Provincial Gender Advocacy and Development Council (PGADC) through the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Women and Family Relations Chair Board Member Rebecca L. Aquino, organized on Friday a Gender Sensitivity Seminar for women and youth coming from the selected barangays of this city.

The seminar concurs with this year’s Philippine Civil Service’s 112^th anniversary taking into account the emphasis on gender equality.

Along with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and the CSC-Sorsogon Field Office headed by Director Arpon U. Lucero, the activity was jointly steered by CSC Regional Office-V Human Resource Division (HRD) Chief Rosallini V. Moneda, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) Social Welfare Assistant Salvacion L. Hermo and shared by the barangays of Sampaloc, Pamurayan, Sirangan, Talisay, Cambulaga, Bitano and Marinas.

Sorsogon’s Public Information Officer Von Andre Labalan said the participants engaged in collective life-like depictions and discussions around social concerns wherein gender issues are implicated.

“The deliberation took up multifaceted subjects infused by rules and impositions of different institutions, the government, work places, as well as peers, the family itself and even the media which permeate life from infancy to adulthood,” he said.

Labalan further said that the seminar similarly spelled out its principles “not as a war of the sexes, not anti-male, but both women and men are considered victims - although women more than men – and that both have a stake in the struggle for gender equality”.

In the course of the meeting, a chronology of CSC’s initiatives was presented and enlightened the participants with the commission’s existing accomplishments such as the establishment of day care and breastfeeding centers, flexible working hours, equality advocates, modified maternity leaves, issuance of policy on sexual harassment in workplaces, special leave privileges, paternity leave, amended maternity leave, and gender and development perspective in government exams, among others.

Exemplifications of actual experiences on personal violence against women like marginalization, subordination, multiple burdens, and gender stereotyping were also presented by the facilitators and emphasized a ceremonial pledge of support from all the participants.

In her statement, Board Member Aquino stated that the seminar envisions women empowerment and gender equality. “We are all gathered here together to share a common goal as we continue our journey towards something remarkable,” she said.

Aquino lauded the partnership with the CSC which she said will herald more opportunities in the future.

CSC-Sorsogon Field Office Director Lucero on the other hand was thankful to Aquino for supporting the event. “Our office (CSC) advocates gender equality and it is our mandate to promulgate this impartiality to abate violent acts against women, and even men,” Lucero pointed out.

The CSC director likewise encouraged the participants to share the information and knowledge they have learned from the seminar as they go back to their respective barangays. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)