In an effort to address the menopause knowledge gap, the Cebu Technological University-Main Campus has forged a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Barangay Ermita, CVCCO Multipurpose Cooperative, Cebu City Government, and the University of Bristol on May 4, 2024 at the Centennial Building Conference Hall of CTU Main.
The project titled “Bridging the Menopause Knowledge Gap: A Sustainable Community Extension Initiative” aims to bridge the knowledge gap on menopause among chosen beneficiaries from Barangay Ermita and some members of CVCCO in Carbon Public Market.
Menopause is a natural phase of every woman’s life and it often comes with various emotional and physical changes. However, a lack of comprehensive knowledge and support networks can lead to misunderstandings and difficulties for women transitioning through this stage.
To address this gap, CTU and its partners have launched an extension project aimed at disseminating accurate information and providing critical support to select women in Brgy. Ermita and members of the CVCCO.
The MOA signing ceremony was attended by the key stakeholders from CTU and partner agencies and institutions committed to empowering women through this extension project. Dir. Marivic Abellana, the Vice-Chairman of CVCCO Multipurpose Cooperative, graced the MOA ceremony alongside other board directors and members. Barangay Ermita Captain Mark Rizaldy Miral was also present, along with his staff and the select women in their barangay, who will benefit from the project. Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera represented the Cebu City Government.
Meanwhile, CTU is represented by the university president Dr. Joseph C. Pepito, together with Dr. Ramel Genobiagon, Campus Director of CTU Main, and Dr. Edwin Andaya, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Through his inspirational message, President Pepito expressed his enthusiasm for the collaborative effort and emphasized the impact of menopausal symptoms on both household and organizational relationships.
Meanwhile, barangay captain Miral also delivered his commitment speech during the ceremony, thanking CTU for choosing his barangay as the beneficiary of the project and assuring full support for the successful implementation of the projects.
Dir. Abellana of CVCCO also expressed the cooperative’s commitment to this community-centric initiative by providing financial, facilities, and manpower support. Meanwhile, Councilor Pesquera expressed her commitment to the project, specifically in facilitating access to healthcare services and assisting in advocacy efforts to raise awareness about menopause-related issues.
Due to geographical and time zone differences, Dr. Vanessa Beck, a professor from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, was unable to attend the ceremony.
Dr. Reah Fabrica, the brain of this initiative, discussed the project’s overview and shared her motivations for pushing this cause in the place where she hails from. The project’s beneficiaries also declared their steadfast commitment by reciting their pledge of commitment led by Dr. Sunliegh Gador.
The Menopause project was organized by select faculty members of the Department of Psychology and Social Sciences (DPSS), Department of Pure Sciences (DPS), Department of English and Literary Studies (DELS), Department of Communication (DComm), and Department of Human Kinetics (DHK).
The ceremony concluded with Dr. Andaya’s closing remarks, in which he underlined the transformative power of institutional collaboration and wished for a fruitful partnership this year and in the future.
Dr. Michelle Trangia and Prof. Junas D. Flores hosted the ceremony.
Words by Junas D. Flores