DepEd Caraga Celebrates Family Day with a Gender Lens

The National Family Week Celebration is observed every 4rth week of September based on Presidential Proclamation No. 60 issued on September 28, 1992. This year’s DepEd RO XIII celebration of the annual Family Day was held in Amontay Beach Resort, Carmen, Agusan del Norte on September 22, 2015. To refresh gender sensitivity awareness and deepen sense of gender equality and promote camaraderie among colleagues in DepEd RO XIII the said activity was highlighted by a Gender Sensitivity Reorientation Workshop. It was also designed to corroborate with other line agencies that consist the Regional Committee on Filipino Family, of which DepEd is a member. This year’s celebration theme is: Gender Equality and Children’s Rights in Contemporary Families. To promote gender equality and children’s rights, in contemporary families especially among DepEd personnel, is to assure that each one has the right gender perspective hence the Gender Sensitivity Reorientation was conducted in the morning of that day. It was very successful and was able to give DepEd Regional Office personnel a different way of in looking at gender rights. The lively and participatory workshop was facilitated by the ESSD personnel but of course processed by the able resource speakers from Caraga State University in the persons of Ms. Anna Lyn Abad Masing, a licensed guidance counsellor and has garnered her Master of Arts in Guidance and Counselling in Xavier University, Ateneo de Cagayan and is currently pursuing her doctorate degree in Ateneo de Davao University. The other resource speaker is Ms. Ordem Kichie Maglente, the most coveted resource speaker on Gender and related topics in Caraga. She is a Master’s Degree in Sociology holder from Mindanao State University, Iligan Institute of Technology campus. She was trained and exposed to the Women and Gender Institute [WAGI] way of advocating gender equality. She’s a recognized member of the Caraga State University gender pool. Ms. Maglente inspired many DepEd Caraga personnel to be attentive to their individual rights. Imbibed with the new perspective of gender rights, the DepEd RO personnel actively participated the parlor games, enjoyed the water cycle ride and kayak despite the heat of the afternoon sun. Most of all, the personnel enjoyed chatting with each other over good food and drinks while appreciating the beauty of nature in the context of Amontay Beach Resort. The day was indeed a family day for DepEd personnel. Each one parted ways with a smile painted on their satisfied faces. The secret of satisfaction is peace and the easiest way to attain peace is respect; respect of every individual regardless of sex, economic status, age, gender role and what have you!

By: Dr. Adrilene Mae J. Castaños