by Angelica Jayz Villar

The Gender and Development (GAD) Office of the municipality of Los Baños held a meeting on February 18, 2019, 9 AM,  at the New Municipal Building for the upcoming GAD Awareness Caravan in June 2019.

The meeting was led by Karen Lagat-Mercado, development management officer, along with the GAD office staff. Among the participants of the meeting are representatives from partner institutions such as the UPLB Gender Center, Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, and the local government unit of Los Baños.

The GAD Awareness Caravan, according to the development management officer Karen Lagat-Mercado, aims to educate preschool and elementary students about gender roles and gender sensitivity. It will cater to students as young as 3 years old. 

It will go to different public and private schools around Los Baños.

“We believe that awareness [on gender sensitivity and roles] should start in the formative years of a person,” said Lagat-Mercado.

Because the audience will include very young individuals, the caravan will feature light activities, including simple house chores and gendering of colors, toys, and clothing.

The lessons will be in the form of song and dance numbers, mini film showing, and short quizzes. These activities will be facilitated by volunteers from the University of the Philippine Los Baños Ugnayan ng Pahinungod.

“We hope that the children will realize that not only girls should clean the floor and only boys should lift things. They should not be limited by these gender stereotypes. And we hope that they would bring this attitude later on in their lives as they achieve their goals,” Lagat-Mercado added.