The 2015 Newsletter
A very blessed Christmas and a new year of peace and hope to all of you.
You haven’t heard from us for a long time. This year is full of blessings for us.
First of all, we had our RE-ACCREDITATION TO PCNC for another 3 years. After the Janet Napoles scandal, NGO’s in the Philippines lost credibility. So more than ever, it is wonderful that we have been reaccredited. This gives us a stamp of excellence and credibility.
Secondly, we have been chosen member of the Technical Panel of the Commission on Higher Education for the Mainstreaming of Gender in all Tertiary Education in the Philippines. We are the only or the first country to launch this important mandate. All tertiary educational institutions are mandated to establish GAD Focal Point System to see to it that the institution will have gender responsive ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES, CURRICULUM, RESEARCH, AND OUTREACH PROGRAM. This is as comprehensive as it can get. And we are happy to see this happen in our lifetime and that we have played an important role in its realization. The IWS has been mandated by CHED to give Orientation and Gender Awareness Seminars to top administrators of Catholic Colleges and Universities.
Thirdly, we have gained a new Funding Partner: the WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER. We now have funding to have a yearly Intercultural Course for Women and Society for at least 3 years. All our other courses are running well and we are happy that some of our graduates can now be resource persons themselves.
We have some new staff members. Marites Rogado (EmEm) is now our Training Coordinator. Rosemarie Deseo is our Finance Officer and Gay Cotiangco is our receptionist. Recently we treated ourselves to a much needed spa experience. All of us from kitchen personnel to myself felt like millionaires for some minutes while we were having foot spa or shiatsu.
So we are grateful for the blessings of this past year and we look forward to the challenges of the new year.
Lovingly yours,
Sr. Mary John Mananzan, OSB
Women & Ecology Wholeness Farm
COLORS
The Farm’s rehabilitation program has been a success and now, the farm is bursting with colors.
Gardening the Concrete Jungle >>>
Last September, the program executed a course conceptualized a long time back and called “Gender and Ecology: Basic Principles and Applications.” The training was designed for urban poor women with no space at home for a “garden.” The main objective was to disabuse city dwellers of the notion that growing one’s own food is not applicable in the metropolis for lack of space. In recent years, however, owing also to the increased urgency of the issue of food security, “vertical gardening” has flourished, leading to the development of various techniques in limited-space gardening, including community gardens in the churchyards. or neighborhood basketball courts.
The pilot class was a group of parishioners from the Most Holy Trinity Parish (Balic-Balic, Sampaloc). A valuable partner of the activity was Mendez’s Municipal Agriculture Office. Not only did the Mendez MAO staff take charge of the Organic Farming portion, acting as resource speakers and trainers; the venue itself was the Mendez LGU’s pilot farm in Barangay Panungyan 1.
The planned training included a portion on ecofeminism to make women more conscious of their particular connections to the environment (as the families’ home and source of food/medicine) and encourage better care of it.
At the end of the training (which would never have seen the light of the day if not for the generous support of the Municipal Agriculture Office of Mendez, whose staff took charge of the Organic Farming portion), the women were excited to apply their take-aways and start their own container gardens at home. We proposed that they also initiate collective plots in the parish grounds which all of them would be responsible for.
Training Program >>>
With the assistance from Missio Aachen and the clamor of IWS partner organizations, IWS was able to conduct an Intercultural Course on Women and Society (ICWS) last April 17 to June 17, 2015 at the Women and Ecology Wholeness Farm in Mendez, Cavite. With its twenty-three (23) participants from 9 Asian countries, the ICWS Batch 2015 was the biggest group that IWS had in its 28 years of existence.
Also, a 15-day Trainers’ Training on Feminism and Education Work for Women was conducted last October 2015 with the support of Fastenopher. A total of 15 women participated in the live-in training held at the Women Ecology and Wholeness Farm (WEWF) in Mendez, Cavite.
Other trainings conducted were Gender Studies for Men, Gender Studies for Couples, Gender Fair Education and Women and Spirituality Retreat Seminars. For the year 2015, IWS was able to implement 20 trainings with a total of 328 female and male participants.
For 2016, IWS will again conduct the 50-days ICWS, another 15-day Trainers Training for Women and other short training courses. Schedule of Trainings will be posted in the IWS’ Facebook page and blog website. Interested applicants may also contact IWS at 63 2 522 3551 or at iwsmnl@gmail.com.
The exposes about the channeling of government funds through “bogus” NGOs tarnished the image of the NGO community in the eyes of the general public. This led to a stricter monitoring and implementation of rules and regulations by government agencies, especially the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in the governance of non-stock, non-profit corporations or NGOs and Foundations. The main motivation of NGOs/Foundations for PCNC certification is tied-up with the acquisition of “Donee Institution Status” from BIR.
For the second time around, IWS was accredited by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification with a 3-year donee institution status.
Partnership with CHED>>>
IWS has been working closely with the Commission on Higher Education in mandating the mainstreaming of gender in the academe. IWS Executive Director was invited by CHED to be a member of their Technical Panel. Recently, IWS was commissioned by CHED to conduct six basic gender sensitivity orientations with background on gender fair education and the salient points of the Commission’s Memorandum Order to religious administrators of private Catholic colleges and universities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao regions. In a year span, the orientation will be held in Cavite (February), Cagayan De Oro (March), Baguio City (April), Cebu City (May) and Bacolod City (June). These cities and provinces were chosen because of their proximity to top religious higher education institutions. The participants for the activities will be the Presidents/Vice-Presidents for Academics or the school’s GAD Focal Person.
The first orientation was held last November 17 and 18, 2015 at the Mission Center of the Order of Notre Dame in General Santos City. Attended by 20 participants, the live-in orientation was facilitated by IWS Board Member and consultant, Prof. Arche Ligo and Prof. Andrew Evangelista of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.
homefront…
Sr. Mary John’s letters to her religious community when she travels and her published travel essays (in Lifestyle Travel of the Inquirer) were published into a book, Nun Stop: A Pilgrim’s Tale. Published by IWS, the book shares her working trips’ cultural, intellectual and spiritual add-ons, she also gives us a glimpse of her prayer life while she’s on the move. Her knowledge of history, culture, theology, the intellectual landscape and her links to people, have made her trips rewarding and pleasurable.
The book was launched with a garden party last November 9, 2015 at the St. Scholastic’s Museum with her family and close friends as her guests.
The book is sold at P500 per copy (excluding mailing costs). For interested parties, please contact 63 2 522 3551 or email us at iwsmnl@gmail.com
Sr. Mary John talked on Men and Masculinities during the Asian Development Bank’s celebration of the Women’s Month 2015
IWS would like to welcome Sr. Mary Frances Dizon, President of St. Scholastica’s College and Sr. Emmanuel Espera to our Board of Trustees. And we would also like to congratulate Dean Ma. Asuncion Azcuna as the Corporate Secretary cum Treasurer of the IWS Board of Trustees.
After the talk of Sr. Mary John at the launching of the Maryamm Movement, organized by the Philippine Council on Islam and Democracy (PCID), IWS was invited to partner with PCID for some joint activities.
Gardening the Concrete Jungle
One potted tomato in the city, one small step towards food security. As well as better nutrition, cleaner air and greener surroundings.
As Ella Fitzgerald wondered: I Can Dream, Can’t I?
There’s this training idea the Women and Ecology Wholeness Farm has had for some time that finally did take place last weekend: a bare-bones, no-frills learning session that included the basic principles of organic farming (Day 1) and the basic theories of eco-feminism (Day 2).
The course, which we called “Gender and Ecology: Basic Principles and Applications”—for want of a more interesting name—was designed for urban poor women with no space at home for a “garden.” The objective, actually, is to disabuse city dwellers of this notion that they can’t grow their own food because they don’t have the space for it. Vertical gardening, hello. Or a community vegetable garden in the church yard. Or even in the neighborhood basketball court! (It is, after all, still the rainy season—hardly the time for basketball.)
As for the ecofeminism part, the idea is simply to make women more conscious of their particular connections to the environment (as the families’ home and source of food/medicine) and encourage better care of it. Nothing fancy.
In actively promoting urban (vegetable and herb) gardens, the farm could supply not only the know-how and skills city folks need, but also, eventually, their material requirements (soil, compost and seeds). At partnership prices, of course.
And because the pilot class was a group of parishioners from the Most Holy Trinity Parish (Balic-Balic, Sampaloc), Susan and Arche and I said to ourselves: “Why not throw into the pot a scan of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si as well?” Bonus. 🙂
At the end of the training (which would never have seen the light of the day if not for the generous support of the Municipal Agriculture Office of Mendez, whose staff took charge of the Organic Farming portion), the women were excited to apply their take-aways and start their own container gardens at home. We proposed that they also initiate collective plots in the parish grounds which all of them would be responsible for.
We also challenged them to consider a more substantive observance of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (also tagged as World Animal Day) on October 4. Everywhere, the occasion is usually marked by the parish priest’s blessing of pets—an activity that merely glamorizes—unwittingly, it may be—pedigree (pure-bred) dogs and cats. However, such a traditional observance of World Animal Day benefits only the pet shops and profit-driven breeders. We suggested that the women plan other (more meaningful) activities to celebrate the day such as tree-planting or seed-sowing.
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ICWS 2014
Intercultural Course on Women and Society 2014
By: Kristina Gaerlan
The Institute of Women’s Studies has been holding the Intercultural Course on Women and Society or ICWS for the past 25 years. In the beginning, the course was held once a year; in recent years, every two years.
The course, which lasts eight weeks, gathers 15 to 18 women from Asia-Pacific to take advanced gender studies, e.g., gender as a social construct; feminist theories; women and world religions; sexuality and reproductive health; violence against women and children and trafficking; gender, the environment and climate change adaptation; gender and development; and several other modules including feminist leadership and skills; and training module development and critiquing. The main venue for the course is theWomen and Ecology Wholeness Farm in Mendez, Cavite.
Midway through the course, there was an evaluation where participants and organizers took stock of the first half–the problems and concerns–and made the necessary adjustments. The city tour that usually marks the start of the course was replaced this year by a heritage tour of Taal town in Batangas, immediately after the mid-course evaluation, which was held in Lian, also in Batangas.
There was also an eco-tour where the participants visited a nearby hydroponics farm, and the prayer/meditation sanctuaries of two religious congregations.
Somehow, in between this hectic, sometimes mind-numbing, schedule, the participants found the time to learn how to make soap. They also had the chance to sneak out–two times, at least–for a reprieve from the heat by snacking on halo-halo.
In the garden of the Good Shepherd Sisters’ convent in Tagaytay
Lilak
This song is for Institute of Women’s Studies 25th Silver Anniversary
Lyrics: Alma Alcantara
Music Arrangement: Dong Ongleo
Sung by: Kaedee Marquez
Invitation
Intercultural Course on Women and Society
April 7 to June 4, 2014
December 2013 Newsletter
Dear Friends of IWS.
In the name of the IWS famIly , I wish you all a joyful Christmas and a New Year of Hope. I have the audacity to wish you so even if the year 2013 has been a year of catastrophes and tragedies in the Philippines. Almost every other month there were typhoons, earthquakes, and recently the worst typhoon in history—Yolanda (HaIyan) which caused the lost of more than 7,000 lives, loss of property, of work, of livelihood, etc. On the political-economic level, there were the devastating revelations about graft and corruption involving government officials in the so-called 10 billion pork barrel scam.
And yet we have the audacity to wish each other a NEW YEAR OF HOPE AND JOY! We can do this because alongside the unbelievable tragedy, we saw signs of hope. We saw how the scam awakened the indignation of people, of ordinary people who spontaneously gathered in Luneta to express their anger and protest. Our people are not yet numbed! And since then even after the attention of the people were caught by the typhoon there has been a continued expression of putting an end to corruption and greed.
Even as we mourn the death of peoples’ loved ones, the loss of homes, property and income, we were overwhelmed by the global expression of solidarity from all over the world. Locally there were stories of heroism, of people giving up their lives to save others, sharing with each other the little they have saved, the continuous flow of volunteers. And country after country sent not only material goods but personnel –health personnel to attend to the dying, wounded and trauma counsellors to those who were reduced to despair and hopelessness. Our own hospital remain
ed as the lone healing center in the disaster and was made headquarters by foreign groups who continued to serve those in need. There will be long years of reconstruction and rebuilding of lives.
Furthermore there were 2 wonderful events that happened to us in 2013:
- the 25th anniversary of IWS. The rest of the newsletter give you more information about how celebrated our
- silver jubilee.
- The election of Pope Francis , who has changed the negative image of the Catholic church in the few months that he is pope—not by doing anything extraordinary, but just by being and acting as himself: a truly great human being!
SO ONCE AGAIN A VERY JOYFUL CHRISTMAS AND A HOPE-FILLED NEW YEAR TO ALL OF US!
SR. MARY JOHN MANANZAN, OSB
Training and Education Program
The Training and Education Program was quite busy with several training activities — both intensive and short courses.
An Intercultural Course on Women and Society Training was held last Apr. to June 2013 with 21 participants from Pakistan (1), Indonesia (4), China (2), India (1), Africa (1), Malaysia (2), Nepal (1) and Philippines (9) . It was a first time for IWS to have 21 participants coming from 8 countries, that it became a great challenge to the facilitators as well as to the participants to adjust and recognize each other differences. It was good enough that participants were open and with the help of several modules and activities where in participants were motivated to express their feelings and thoughts, small differences that came about during the training were immediately ironed out. Unfortunately, one of 
the graduates died right after the training which brought sadness to her co-participants and to IWS.
The Institute conducted 2 Trainers’ Training on Feminism and Education Work for Women (TrTr) last March and October 2013. Both trainings were done at the Women and Ecology Wholeness Farm.
Other trainings held were Gender Studies for Men, Gender Sensitivity for Couples, Women and Ecology, Women as Leaders and Gender Fair Education. IWS also attended some network’s meetings/consultations on lay empowerment and organizational development sponsored by partners.
For inquiries on IWS training activities, please contact Tatis Yee at 02 522 3551.
Initiatives with Maritime
Polytechnic Training Center
IWS agreed to do a 1-hour gender sensitivity course for every training course that Maritime Polytechnic Training Center, led by Ms. Merle Jimenez, is giving to seafarers. IWS also gave a gender orientation and a GFE Training to the teaching and non-teaching personnel of the Maritime Polytechnic College in Bicol.
Women and Ecology Wholeness Farm
With the mandate of the General Chapter of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing to focus on environmental and migration issues, the farm is now primarily an ecological demo farm through the support and generosity of friends. With this development, the IWS initiated the rehabilitation of the farm which started as early as January. The rehabilitation was also in line with the celebration of the organization’s 25th anniversary wherein a tree-planting project was scheduled on May 2013.
The garden is now so colorful with more flowering and ornamental plants in strategic places that the farm has been getting more visits from butterflies and birds. A most surprising visit is from a pair of nocturnal owls which is now the pride and glory of the farm.
Now, IWS will also be assisted by Greenpeace wherein they will provide the needed resources to make the farm as a showcase of renewable (solar) energy, including the installation of solar panels. Seminars on cost efficiency and energy consumption will also be held in the farm to help in the upkeep and maintenance of the farm.
In line with this thrust, IWS through the farm coordinator, Kristina Gaerlan, volunteered for a project in making solar-powered liters of light introduced by Illac Diaz. These “Liters of Light,” basically solar-driven LEDs using cola bottles as housing, will be sent to still unelectrified areas damaged by Haiyan. IWS plans to sponsor a similar workshop in early 2014 making solar-powered liters of light which will be used in the farm.
Reservation to join the workshop is on a first come-first served basis.
Another Honor for IWS
IWS was awarded the St. Hildegarde Lifetime Achievement last March 6, 2013 by the St. Scholastica’s College together with Ms. Yolanda Ong. Taking inspiration from the Hildegardian tradition of courage and advocacy for truth, SSC established the Hildegarde Awards for Women in Media and Communication in 2007 to celebrate women’s achievements in the mass media
and its allied fields. It is the only awards of its kind in the Philippines today.
One Billion Rising
The IWS joined the nation in the global campaign, One Billion Rising’, to raise awareness to end violence against women.
Silver Milestone for the Institute of Women’s Studies
The Institute of Women’s Studies, led by Sr. Mary John Mananzan, OSB, marked the organization’s 25th year anniversary and came up with several activities..
Last May 21, the IWS embarked on a tree planting activity wherein 25 Norfolk pine trees were planted along the perimeter fence of the farm by IWS staff, ICWS participants and guests, including the Municipal Agricultural Officers. A Thanksgiving Mass was celebrated by the parish priest of Mendez and a simple lunch was served.
The culminating celebration was held last October 19 with a day-long of activities lasting well into midnight.
In the morning, a mass was concelebrated in St. Scholastica’s Chapel by Fr. Eugene Cañete, MM and Fr. Quirico “Dodoy” Pedregosa Jr., O.P., using specially prepared liturgy that focused on the IWS’ twin agenda of women’s equality and environmental 
integrity. The exchange of peace greetings was marked by the exchange of pink and violet ribbons among the congregation members symbolizing the colors for women and pea
ce. The Offertory included an offering of 25 pots of different herbs to represent each year of the IWS’ attention to the upliftment of to women and the environment. Songs and music were provided by students of the College of Music.
The Mass was followed by lunch at the college social hall.
A symposium in the afternoon began with the premiere showing of a 20-minute video on the IWS that featured Sr. Mary John, Prof. Arche Ligo and graduates of the IWS’ carious training courses. Here, Sr. Mary John emphasized that by the nature of the organization’s objective, it is one which wants to see itself irrelevant or redundant as soon as possible, because this means its objectiv
e of gender parity has been reached. In her response, Atty. Carmelita Yadao-Sison, representing Dr. Patricia Licuanan of the Commission on Higher Education, said to IWS: “Your idea of becoming irrelevant will not be happening in the next few years because we still need your help. There is still so much to be done before gender equality can be integrated into the public higher education system.” Ms. Remi Rikken, representing the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), likewise spoke of the beginnings of the agency and how international support came when the group least expected this. She also traced how the PCW needed to define its own terms of reference as a national mechanism for gender policy formulation and mainstreaming, there being few models in the region at its inception. Gert Ranjo-Libang, Secretary General of Gabriela, noted the persistence of issues that the women’s movement faced 25 years ago, including violence against women and children, and the continued impoverishment especially of women-headed households. She called for increased vigilance among women’s equality advocates to achieve social justice and gender parity.
In the afternoon, “Pusong Wagas,” an exhibit featuring the installations of Imelda Cajipe-Endaya was opened at the St. Scholastica’s Museum. The exhibit features the artist’s mixed-media installations that depict the themes of the feminist movement since the 1980s, specifically women’s everyday issues and their undying love for country.
The anniversary celebration was capped by a “slumber party” of graduates of IWS’ courses over the years. The original plan for the party was two round-robin sharing sessions: the first, on each one’s IWS training experience—what was most unforgettable about this, and the impact of one’s encounter with the IWS. The second round was to be on plans for one’s advocacy and suggestions how IWS can help carry these out. (However, because the sharing by some forty women took lasted more than three hours, there was no more time for the second round-robin question.) The sharing was rich, at times funny, the women recalled their personal and professional “struggles “ and how the IWS training they attended empowered them to confront these more comprehensively and bravely. At the end, Sr. Mary John underscored the common points that surfaced from the sharing—the increased self-esteem that enabled the women to articulate themselves in the process toward self-renewal and social justice.
The Spirit, sans the Borloloy
Contributed by Kristina Gaerlan
We didn’t want to party. (Who does?) Instead, we had a prayer and sharing ritual. Arche prepared beautiful liturgy highlighting the festival of lights observed by different religions, as well as the winter solstice.
Winter solstice? In the Philippines where there’s no snow (yet?), we wanted to mark the passage of the long, cold, terrible “winter” (the Habagat, Zamboanga siege, Bohol tremor and Haiyan). Here, in a country of perpetual summer.
In many cultures, there is a feast of lights observed usually from November to December (Burmese Tazaungdaing, Hindu Diwali, Jewish Hanukkah, Christmas) to mark the passing of seasons, the passage of time, the handover from old to new, the triumph of light over dark, of hope over despair. We blessed four bowls that contained offerings with deep religious/spiritual meanings:
- Water – to symbolize Life
- Salt – our Essence/s and Purity (The salt of the earth.)
- Sugar – Love and Harmony
- Rice – the Pinoy Grit and Constitution (Like the Boholanos’ determination to build from the ruins of the earthquake. Or the Leytenos’ instinct to help one another, never mind their own hunger and pain. Why was media obsessed with the post-Haiyan political bickering?)
After lighting the seven candles of our ritual of lights one by one, Sr. Mary John initiated a round-robin sharing: What is each one saying goodbye to and welcoming with the new year?
My companions in IWS are simple folks who have very little. Yet each one–without exception–was full of gratitude–for their f
amilies, jobs, their co-workers’ sympathy and understanding, their health. Cris, Neneng and Emma have family members whose homes in the t
typhoon-ravaged Visayas were washed out, but thank you, Lord, they are alive. Miriam had just started to speak, and already tears were flowing. “Thank you for my new apo. And please, Lord, keep my body strong so I can continue to support her and my two girls. ‘Yun lang po.”
After our community prayer, we had a simple lunch. The afternoon was spent trying to catch up with work and deadlines.
Then, in the evening, we had another “lights” event–pyromaniacs ba kami? :)–the Enchanting Lights and Sound Show at the Ayala Triangle Gardens.
That in all things God may be glorified.
Newsletter 1st Semester of 2013
Dear Graduates and Friends of IWS,
A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013 TO ALL OF YOU. As you see IWS is still alive and growing. I just came from a 6-month Sabbatical in Europe where I visited the following countries: Ireland, United Kingdom, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden, Prague, Stockholm, Germany and Rome. I did a Sabbatical Course in Dublin and a retreat in Bolton Abbey near Dublin. I also did a Course in Findhorn Foundation in Scotland and a retreat in the magical Iona island. Moscow was a real revelation to me surprised at visiting a Cathedral Square with 4 beautiful cathedrals inside the Kremlin. I was also impressed with the Metro stations which were like vestibules to Palaces being ornately and richly designed and decorated. I was touched by my visit to the Infant Jesus Church in Prague. I also gave talks in Dublin, Wuerzburg, Germany, Russia and Rome. I was glad to meet the Filipinos in Moscow who have a Filipinos Association of Russia (FAR) and who arranged a River Cruise on the Moscova River where I gave my talk. My Sabbatical ended in Rome where I attended the General Chapter and watched the proclamation of Hildegarde of Bingen as Doctor of the Church and the canonization of Pedro Calungsod.
But I am glad to be back. I am now full time Director of IWS and we are preparing for our 25th Jubilee in May of this year. I hope you can take part in some of our activities.
The picture shows me dancing the One Billion Rising Dance which is a campaign against violence against women launched in 177 countries and will have its climax on February 14 when one billion women will go out in the streets to protest violence against women. Join us!
Lovingly,
Sr. Mary John, OSB
Training &Education Program
It was a busy year for the IWS with several intensive and international trainings. IWS held the Intercultural Course on Women and Society last April to June with 17 participants from the Philippines, Indonesia, China, Myanmar, Cambodia, Nepal, India and Solomon Islands.
The Moving Beyond Faith: An Inter-faith Dialogue Towards Ecological Justice was conducted last October at the Women & Ecology Wholeness Farm in Mendez, Cavite.
Three Trainers’ Training on Feminism and 
Education Work for Women were conducted. One of the 21-day
training workshop was held at Digos, Davao del Sur last October with 14 participants all coming from different provinces in Mindanao. The training, led by Marites “Tatis’ Yee, was facilitated by IWS graduates from the region/area. The IWS graduates who joined to facilitate the training were Ms. Gina Lee Soreno, Ana Lea Asentista, Sr. Elvie Prado, Luzvisminda Caasi-Barro, Sr. Franz Blando, Aida Coronado and Sr. Lalyn Macahilo.
Another milestone for the IWS’ Training and Education Program is the implementation 2 Gender Studies for Men Training in Davao City last June and October 2012. The activities were attended by Moslem and Lumad participants,
a first for the IWS 3-day course for men. Both trainings were facilitated with support from Tatis Yee and
by our own GSM graduates based in Mindanao namely Roland Layno and Edgar Togonon.
For those interested to attend our courses, please call Tatis Yee at 025223551 or 02 5230693
CHED Higher Education Summit
The Commission on Higher Education held the “1st CHED HIGHER EDUCATION SUMMIT ON GENDER ISSUES” last October 2011 together with its co-convenors, the Philippine Commission on Women, Civil Service Commission, Miriam College Women and Gender Institute, St. Scholastica’s College Institute for Women’s Studies, and the U.P. Women’s Studies Center. CHED aims to raise the awareness of state u niversities and colleges on good practices in school policies, curriculum and research development, programs and services pertaining to gender and development. CHED committed to do regional summits which resulted to 17 regional summits before 2012 ended. Dr. Lilith Usog and Prof. Arche Ligo took turns in sharing the best practices on formal and non-formal education of St. Scholastica’s College.
Last November, to reaffirm the commitment in removing gender disparity and enhancing women empowerment in higher education institutions, CHED spearheaded the 2nd Higher Education Summit on Gender Issues wherein our very own Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Rebecca Marquez, shared St. Scholastica’s College’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy and Procedures. One of the highlights of the summit was the report of the 17 Regional GAD Summits aside from the parallel sessions on “GAD Planning and Budgeting” and “Gender Responsive Curriculum”. Regional cluster meetings were also done led by the different regional directors.
Women and Ecology Wholeness Farm
The habagat rains wiped out our herbal patch and vegetable greenhouses completely. We tried to rehabil
itate this promptly after the traditional rainy season, but climate change and unpredictable weather patterns prevented us from doing so. The seedlings continued to be drowned by excessive rains. However, we were able to salvage some of our ginger before fungus due to excessive rains could destroy this altogether. Our ginger plots have also been the source of some of the salabat we make in-house use and for sale . Other produce from which we realized some revenue were our santol (pakyaw to a wholesaler), sili and other vegetables grown in the greenhouses (pechay, lettuce). We are now reviving our herbal and vegetable gardens.
With the clearance from Sr. Mary John that the farm resumes agricultural production, we recently bo
ught a new set of fruiting mushroom bags and likewise resumed drying mushrooms for sale.
Since 2007, repeated attempts to rehabilitate the existing solar-panel setup were unsuccessful, even though the batteries, charger and inverter were replaced. This has led the Institute to the conclusion that the whole setup needed to be replaced. As a contingency, Sr. Mary John resorted to stand-alone solar light fixtures that have been used to light the pathways and as lighting accents in selected areas of the gardens.
Dancing to One Billion Rising
The participation of the IWS through Sr. Mary John Mananzan in One Billion Rising to help in promoting the elimination of violence against women was solicited by the renowned author of Vagina Monologues, Eve Ensler and One Billion Rising Philippine Coordinator and theatre actress, Ms. Monique Wilson.
Conceptualized by Ensler, the One Billion Rising is a global campaign to pressure governments and institutions to put an end to various forms of violence against women. The campaign, which primarily involves dance as protest action, will culminate on February 14, 2013, when a targeted 1 billion women and men will dance all around the world.
HOMEFRONT
The prioress of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing seats in the IWS Board of Trustees. Thus, when Sr. Lumen Gloria Dungca was elected as prioress last January 2012, she returned to IWS as a member of the Board. However, during the 12th General Chapter of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing held last September 2012, Mo. Lumen Gloria Dungca was elected Vicaress General and the congregation had to elect a new Prioress this month. Sr. Adelaida Ygrubay is now the new Prioress. IWS welcomes back Mo. Adele to IWS.
Ms. Marion Cabrera is now temporarily based in Chang Mai, Bangkok. In her absence, Ms. Rebecca Padilla, former IWS staff and now Dean of Student Affairs of St. Scholastica’s College was asked to join the Board of Trustees.
We would like to thank all the new and previous members of the Board of Trustees for their contribution to the initiatives of IWS in empowering the Filipino women.
Last March 8, 2012 (International Women’s Day ), the launching of Sr. Mary John’s book, NUNSENSE, was co-sponsored by the Institute and St. Scholastica’s College. The book, published by IWS, was initially printed for 750 copies and was reprinted for another 500 copies. The Institute is now preparing for the third reprinting of the book.
The book is available in IWS at P300.00 a copy. For orders, please call 02 522 3551 or 02 523 0693 or email us at iwsmnl@yahoo.com
The Institute would like to congratulate Kristina Gaerlan, the farm’s Resource Center Manager, for the 25 years of service with the Institute. Itty, as we fondly call her, is responsible for the numerous books that IWS has published.
We would also like to give our appreciation to Ms. Marites Yee, IWS Training Coordinator for the 15 years of service. Tatis started with the Institute as a Training Staff. Now, as Training Coordinator, Tatis is responsible for developing new modules that IWS has been offering.
Teodora Malaba, our Cashier, has bid us farewell in IWS to join her husband who is based in UK last September 2012. Dory stayed with IWS for 13 years. We wish her all the luck in her new phase of life.
That in all things God may be
Institute of Women's Studies 
