UPB Kasarian Gender Studies Program

"Hindi sapat na 'hindi ka gumawa'. In today’s digital world, silence can enable abuse. Awareness must lead to action. Technology will only become more powerful, yes, but so will you. Don’t let AI and its technology think and feel for you. Do not let it master you, you have to master it so you know not only the benefits but also the danger it poses." -Angel Aquino

The Kasarian Gender Studies Program, in partnership with UPB Sigma Delta Pi Sorority, marked Sexual Assault Awareness Month with a forum on AI-violence with actor and advocate Angel Aquino, calling for stronger accountability and responsible use of technology in the fight against AI-enabled violence targeting women and children.

She shared how the unauthorized use of her likeness through deepfake technology violated her identity, dignity, and psychological well-being. Aquino underscored that the rise of AI-generated material has introduced new forms of abuse that demand urgent attention and action.

Aquino also highlighted the broader digital landscape that enables the spread of abusive content, emphasizing that responsibility extends beyond the original creators. Responsibility also lies with those who host, view, like, and share such obscene material. “The damage spreads through every click, every share, every view,” she said, urging the audience to recognize how passive participation can perpetuate abuse.

Despite these challenges, Aquino expressed optimism, placing her confidence in the younger generation’s capacity to reshape the digital landscape. She called on the students to use technology not only as a tool for innovation, but as a platform for protection and advocacy—urging everyone to uphold the dignity and rights of women, children, and other vulnerable sectors who are disproportionately targeted by AI-enabled forms of violence.

“At first, I was thinking, how did they find me? What made them think to use my face for a video like that? It’s unfair. It’s bullying. It’s just… stepping all over you.” —Angel Aquino, in an interview with Allure Magazine

This Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Kasarian Gender Studies Program, in partnership with Sigma Delta Pi Sorority, invites the UP Baguio community to “𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗳𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 & 𝗔𝗜-𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻: 𝗔 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗜 𝗩𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻,” with women's rights advocate and UP Baguio alumna Angel Aquino!

Join us on April 27, 1:30 PM, at the CSS-AVR as we listen to Ms. Aquino share her experience as a victim-survivor of online sexual abuse through a deepfake, where AI was used to exploit her identity, image, and dignity.

This forum is beyond awareness, it is a reflection of a culture that continues to normalize the violation of women in both physical and digital spaces. In an age of advancing technology, we must protect, resist, and ensure that no woman’s identity can be stolen or manipulated for the sexual gratification of others.

See you! 💜

(Photo Courtesy: Excel Panlaque via Mega Magazine)

[Trigger Warning: Mentions of sexual violence, r**e, and harassment]

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The Philippines is frequently cited as a regional leader in gender equality, ranking in the Top 20 in the Global Gender Gap Report 2025. However, this recognition coexists with persistent and deeply rooted issues of gender-based sexual harassment and violence.

Global data from UN Women (2024) indicate that 1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, while a woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes by an intimate partner or family member. In the Philippines, 1 in 7 women reportedly experience sexual harassment at least once a week (PBCW, n.d.).

However, much of sexual violence remains unreported. According to the 2022 Philippine Statistics Authority and the National Demographic and Health Survey, two in five women aged 15–49 who have experienced physical or sexual violence have never sought help or disclosed their experiences. Barriers such as stigma, fear of retaliation, lack of institutional trust, and social normalization of harassment contribute to this silence.

While women are commonly at risk of sexual harassment, men and other genders could also be sexually harassed. According to Cameleon Association (2025), 2% of r**e victims are men, however, several studies noted that these cases are severely underreported. Moreover, the lack of comprehensive data on sexual violence against LGBTQ+ individuals reflects systemic limitations, including binary classifications in reporting mechanisms that fail to capture the full spectrum of gender identities.

The truth is, no one is really safe when it comes to sexual harassment. Sexual violence is a pervasive societal issue that affects individuals across genders, yet remains obscured by silence, stigma, and structural gaps. Legal frameworks exist to address and prevent such acts, but awareness, accessibility, and cultural change remain essential to their effectiveness.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month calls not only for recognition, but for sustained action—through awareness, building safer spaces, accountability, and challenging the culture of silence—to ensure that safety, dignity, and justice are realities for all.

As Women’s Month draws to a close, a long-envisioned tool for justice is finally within reach.

After 25 years of research, a Philippine-made sexual assault investigation kit developed by
University of the Philippines scientists is now set for public release.

Designed to support the proper collection, preservation, and documentation of DNA
evidence, SAI.Kit strengthens the role of forensic science in sexual assault investigations — helping ensure that evidence can speak, even when victims cannot.

More than a scientific milestone, it reflects a sustained commitment to making justice more accessible, one case at a time.

Read the full story here: https://up.edu.ph/25-years-of-malasakit-a-philippine-sexual-assault-investigation-kit-is-finally-within-reach/

IN PHOTOS | Kasarian Gender Studies Program, in partnership with Innabuyog Metro Baguio, recently conducted a forum highlighting the state of women in the Cordillera.

Ms. Raven Mensenas, spokesperson of Innabuyog Metro Baguio, laid out data and information on the situation of women, not just in the Cordillera, but also in the entire country. She stated that women are double-marginalized, experiencing marginalization through their gender and socio-economic status, and Indigenous women have it much more difficult since their indigenous identities add another layer of marginalization.

She further added that women in a feudal-patriarchal lens are forced to conform to certain expectations, such as becoming the primary household help to not obligate the state for free social services and to be passive and obedient to their husbands/partners. Meanwhile, Ms. Imelda Tabiando of Gabriela Women's Party Cordillera and Ms. Daisy Macapanpan of Protect Sierra Madre for the People added depth to the discussions by further localizing the situations women experience in the Cordillera and their lived realities as activists who fight for women's and environmental rights.

BUKAS NA! ✨

Ngayong Buwan ng Kababaihang Anakpawis, kumustahin naman natin ang estado ng mga kababaihan dito sa Kordilyera!

Inihahandog ng Kasarian Gender Studies Program, sa pakikipagugnayan kasama ang Innabuyog Metro Baguio, ang isang makabuluhang kwentuhan ngayong Marso 26, 10 AM sa CSS-AVR patungkol sa karanasan, sitwasyon, at buhay ng mga kababaihan dito sa Kordilyera.

Kasama ang mga kababaihang nakikibaka para sa pantay-pantay na karapatan at hustisya para sa kababaihan, IPs, at kapaligiran, kita-kits tayo ngayong Huwebes sa susunod na linggo! 💜

(Photo Courtesy: Innabuyog - Alliance of Women's Organization in the Cordillera)

Ngayong Buwan ng Kababaihang Anakpawis, kumustahin naman natin ang estado ng mga kababaihan dito sa Kordilyera!

Inihahandog ng Kasarian Gender Studies Program, sa pakikipagugnayan kasama ang Innabuyog Metro Baguio, ang isang makabuluhang kwentuhan ngayong Marso 26, 10 AM sa CSS-AVR patungkol sa karanasan, sitwasyon, at buhay ng mga kababaihan dito sa Kordilyera.

Kasama ang mga kababaihang nakikibaka para sa pantay-pantay na karapatan at hustisya para sa kababaihan, IPs, at kapaligiran, kita-kits tayo ngayong Huwebes sa susunod na linggo! 💜

(Photo Courtesy: Innabuyog - Alliance of Women's Organization in the Cordillera)

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆.

In celebration of Women’s Month, join us for a fruitful discussion on 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, where faculty members from the Department of Economics and Political Science (DEPS) share concepts and contributions of women thinkers in their respective disciplines. This lecture aims to amplify and raise consciousness about the importance of representations and diversification of women scholars' standpoints in Economics and Political Science.

𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, 𝟭𝟮:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠 - 𝟭:𝟯𝟬 𝗣𝗠 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗦𝗦 𝗔𝗩𝗥.

See you there!


!

2 more days to go! ✨

Join us for the 𝗣𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 this Monday, March 23, 2026, 1 PM at the CSS-AVR! Student scholars from various degree programs take the floor to share their research, insights, and critical perspectives on gender, along with esteemed discussants who will deepen the conversations.

Whether you’re interested in learning more about gender studies or simply just supportive to the presenters, this space is open to everyone ready to listen, reflect, and engage!

Learn more about the research papers of the presenters by checking out their abstracts! Who knows, maybe this will inspire you to consider and pursue women's and gender studies in the future! 💜

There is only one word to describe her--MOTHERED!

Meet our next , Maam Amelia Cendaña from the University Library! She is a College Librarian who earned her master's degree in Library and Information Technology from the Saint Louis University, Baguio City.

In her nearly 27-year career in librarianship at UP Baguio, she not only learned to be organized, patient, and resilient, but also to value relationships deeply—connecting with colleagues, mentoring students, and supporting her community in both moments of joy and challenge.

As a mom of four, balancing the demands of a professional career while solely handling family responsibilities was never easy. According to her, the struggles people often don’t see include the quiet sacrifices: long hours balancing work and home, moments of exhaustion, and the constant effort to provide guidance, emotional support, and opportunities for her children despite limited resources.

Motherhood has been a journey of both challenges and blessings for her. There were times of doubt, fatigue, and moments when resources were limited, it felt overwhelming. In spite of all the hardships, 2026 marks a significant milestone for her as all her children have completed higher education! She saw this as "a testament not only to God’s grace and provision, but also to resilience in the face of financial constraints and the invaluable support of my eldest children," she added.

Now that all her children have grown into responsible adults, she is entering a new era focused on community service and leadership—organizing seminars, trainings, and sharing her expertise in the cooperative sector. Being able to give back to others and empower communities is a joyful extension of her journey. Today, she stands with a profound sense of fulfillment, knowing that every sacrifice, every challenge, and every moment of dedication served a higher purpose.

She sees a future where women are fully empowered—leaders who no longer have to choose between nurturing their families and pursuing their professional callings. Having experienced the challenges of being a working mother on a minimum wage, she dreams of a future where every woman has access to cooperatives, financial literacy, and resources, so no mother bears the burden of providing education and opportunities alone.

"Every hardship I faced shaped me into a more compassionate, determined, and fulfilled professional, and it reaffirmed that meaningful success is measured not just by personal achievement, but by the positive impact I make in the lives of others." (Amelia Cendaña, 2026)

📣 You’re invited! 🌸✨

In celebration of Women’s Month, the College of Science Lecture Series Committee, in collaboration with the Kasarian Gender Studies Program, invites everyone to join

"Kababaihan Abante: Lead like the Babaylans, SHEyentistas!"

An online forum featuring invited speakers from the College of Science:

Department of Biology
Prof. Zenaida Baoanan, PhD
Assoc. Prof. Liezel Magtoto, PhD

Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
Asst. Prof. Criselda Libatique, MSc
Instr. Mary Chezka Ann Sinco

Department of Physical Sciences
Asst. Prof. Jennifer Antonio, MSc
Dr. Dymphna Javier, PhD

👩‍🔬 Hear their stories and insights on research and scientific work, public service, and the realities of building a career in science, along with reflections on the challenges and strengths that come with being a woman in the field.

📅 March 23, 2026
🕑 2:00 PM
💻 Via Zoom
👥 Open to students, faculty, staff, and the public

🔗 Registration / Zoom details: https://up-edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gqa8u7MHTzmh9HeqSBUz_Q

Let’s celebrate women who break barriers, build communities, and lead with purpose. See you there! 💜