To strengthen institutional gender responsiveness, Cebu Technological University (CTU) convened Gender and Development (GAD) chairpersons, university officials, and administrative personnel for a five-day workshop from June 22 to 26, resulting in the development of key components of the university’s GAD Manual and the refinement of its gender mainstreaming framework.
The five-day workshop, “GAD in Motion: Strengthening CTU’s Institutional Pathways for Gender Mainstreaming,” served as a platform to review existing policies, strengthen institutional mechanisms, align strategic priorities, and develop a comprehensive GAD Manual.
It aimed to mainstream GAD across the university’s programs, services, policies, and workplace culture.
Resource Speaker Ms. Maria Enriquita Myrel M. Siason of the National GAD Resource Pool of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) underscored the importance of embedding gender perspectives in institutional planning and implementation.
“There is a continuing need to align gender issues and concerns with your activities and target indicators, as this will provide significant impact,” she said.
Siason also discussed the four entry points of gender mainstreaming—policy, people, enabling mechanisms, and programs, activities, and projects—emphasizing that these elements are essential in translating gender equality commitments into institutional practice.
Complementing these discussions were sessions on GAD planning and budgeting and the Gender Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework (GMEF), which equipped participants with strategies for integrating gender perspectives into policies, programs, and organizational mechanisms while ensuring that resources are aligned with gender priorities.
Dr. Mary Jane C. Sim, Officer-in-Charge, University GAD Director, stressed that alignment strengthens the relevance and sustainability of GAD initiatives, ensuring responsiveness to diverse stakeholders and compliance with national standards.
Meanwhile, former CTU GAD Director Dr. Sheilalaine G. Romulo led the policy review and manual development sessions, guiding participants through existing legal mandates and institutional policies that will form the foundation of the university’s GAD Manual.
Participants examined policy gaps, proposed enhancements, and collaboratively drafted key sections of the manual, establishing a more comprehensive framework to support gender mainstreaming initiatives across the university.
Further strengthening the workshop outcomes, Dr. Jana Gloria F. Almerino, Supervising Administrative Officer IV, stressed that aligning the GAD strategic plan with the university’s pillars ensures coherence between gender mainstreaming and the institution’s broader vision.
The alignment anchored GAD initiatives on CTU’s six strategic pillars: University Leadership, Governance and Sustainability; Academic Excellence; Impactful Innovation through Research and Extension; Resource Mobilization; Student Empowerment; and Internationalization.
The five-day workshop reinforced CTU’s dedication to fostering institutional equity and embedding gender perspectives across policies, programs, and long‑term development framework.
