BukSU Damulog GAD, MPC educate students on gender-based sexual harassment

DAMULOG BUKIDNON – BukSU Damulog satellite campus in collaboration with its Municipal Police Station educated the students on gender-based sexual harassment held at the campus-covered court on October 19, 2022.

The Gender and Development Unit headed by Ms. Isabel Dakina organized a seminar on RA 11313: Safe Spaces Act and RA 7877: Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995

This was conducted in order to address and give awareness on students regarding gender-based sexual harassment issues in the society.

The said activity started at exactly 9:00 o’clock in the morning and was with participants from all year levels in both Business Administration and Public Administration programs.

Ms. Isabel Dakina cited how important, relevant, and timely these topics are especially to rural areas such as the Municipality of Damulog. She also pointed out the responsibilities of students to be the prime educators of their households and respective communities especially upon knowing afterward the notions about these concepts.

The Resource Speaker Police Executive Master Sargent, Jessette A. Aquino presented the legal issues surrounding gender-based sexual harassment and the public’s response attached to it.

She also emphasized the possibility of being imprisoned and its equivalent penalties once a person violates the rights of others.

She drew further attention to Republic Act No. 11313, also known as the Safe Spaces Act (Bawal Bastos Law), which outlaws all forms of gender-based sexual harassment (GBSH) in public places, educational or training institutions, the workplace, and online and on RA 7877, also known as the “Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995,”, which made sexual harassment against men and women in the workplace, education, and training environments illegal.

An open forum took place which catered to several questions from the participants concerning clarifications on the coverage and boundaries of the said laws which in turn was precisely explained by the resource speaker.

The program culminated with the awarding of certificates facilitated by the BPA Program Head, Ms. Cherry Mae B. Icat, MPSM, who as well delivered the concluding statements thanking the facilitators and the resource speaker for their efforts and time to conduct the activity. She also hoped for the students to disseminate learnings to others to build a community free of any of these acts and a safer environment for all. (Isabel Dakina, Angeline Huit Lorezo, Mira Jim Pequiro Cequiña/Damulog SC)