TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — In celebration of the Department of Science and Technology 2021 Regional Science and Technology Week, DOST Undersecretary Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevarra for Research and Development said R&D outputs should be “genderized.”
This means both men and women can benefit from them during a recent DOST Region 02 webinar on Integrating Gender Lens in Research and Development Projects as a pre-event activity.
With this year’s theme, “Agham at Teknolohiya: Tugon sa Hamon ng Panahon,” DOST 02 introduced gender awareness and sensitivity to address Gender and Development (GAD) issues in society. It aims to aid researchers in understanding the need to pursue gender sensitive and responsive R&D Projects.
“A gender lens will allow us to see the ways and processes from which gender issues and concerns stem. Not only the R&D community but the entire Philippines Science, Technology and Innovation landscape can be identified and addressed through our collaborative efforts,” USec Guevarra explained.
Meanwhile, DOST Undersecretary for Regional Operations, Engr. Sancho A. Mabborang in his opening remarks pointed out that the core concern nowadays is how the R&D community can adapt to the changes in society as it becomes more gender-responsive.
“We need to understand that these concepts are more intertwined than what we assumed them to be. In fact, they should be lodged together and must be considered an important variable when conducting societal research to avoid bias and promote inclusivity,” Mabborang stressed.
Dr. Jhamie Tetz-Infante Mateo, director of the Gender Resource Research and Development Center of the Isabela State University (GRRDC-ISU) and National GAD Resource Pool Member of the Philippine Commission on Women lectured on salient gender-related concerns on the subject.
The lecture conveyed legal basis and mandates; gender mainstreaming and data; gender disaggregated data and harmonized gender and development guidelines (HGDG); and project development cycle and HGDG to integrate gender lens in R&D Projects.
These include the importance of program and project implementation, management, monitoring, and evaluation (PIMME) to measure the achievement of GAD or gender equality results.
Dr. Mateo likewise commended DOST Region 02’s initiative in “starting to genderize the DOST R&D Community, continuously creating opportunities which allow both women and men researchers as well experts and students, to meet and exchange inclusive innovations and ideas towards Philippine development.”
DOST Region 02 OIC-Regional Director Virginia G. Bilgera expressed her gratitude for another milestone to the R&D Community.
“I hope this will inspire other regions to also become more gender-responsive,” she said. “DOST Region 02 will demonstrate the approach really works so that the other regions will follow as well.”
DOST Region 02 Assistant Regional Director and GAD Unit head, Dr. Teresita A. Tabaog, organizer of the webinar, noted that the approach to the gender issue is a timely response to contemporary challenges.
Tabaog underlined the agency’s role in the Regional Gender and Development Committee (RGADC) to ease gender R&D mainstreaming and prepare researchers for gender-based project proposals.
Dr. Diana L. Ignacio, DOST Assistant Secretary for HRMMSSC, DOST-Wide GAD Focal Person, shared that she envisions R&D projects to be included in their agency’s GAD Attributed Program.
Engr. Mark Gil Hizon and his team from the R&D Innovation Management Unit of DOST R02 facilitated the participation of researchers from Cagayan Valley region.
There were 340 researchers and participants from the different academes, research institutions, national government agencies and regional line agencies nationwide.
