The country’s science and technology human resources development arm has no shortage of outstanding women in its fold. Hence, in celebration of the National Women’s Month in March, it honored five of its own women-leaders who have stamped their marks in implementing and advancing the Institute’s programs.
Dubbed as the “Leading Ladies in S&T”, the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) feted the recognition to its Director, Dr. Josette T. Biyo; Chief of the S&T Manpower, Education Research and Promotions Division, Dr. Ruby Cristobal; former Chief of the Science Education and Innovations Division, Ruby Laña; former Supervising Science Research Specialist (SRS) and Head of the Research Unit, Imelda Sario, and Supervising SRS at the S&T Scholarship Division, Ma. Daisy Demoni-Sison. The ceremony was held on 29 March 2022 to cap the month-long celebration.
DOST-SEI kicked-off the National Women’s Month celebration on 7 March 2022 through a virtual ceremony called “We Make Change Work for Women: Agenda ng Kababaihan, Tungo sa Kaunlaran.” It was followed by a series of poster features of three women in STEM who were former scholars and are now playing key roles in their communities, namely: multi-awarded scientist, Dr. Aimee Lynn Barrion-Dupo; physicist, lawyer, and former captain, Atty. Carolina Lim-Gamban, and math teacher and 2020 Brightest Science Teacher Academy for the Regions (STAR) Awardee, Janice Baldelovar, who were showcased through the Ultraviolet PH Facebook page on 8 March during the celebration of the International Women’s Day.
The Institute also launched its newest publication titled “Women in Science” that reports a significant increase among females who are employed in S&T careers based on Philippine Statistics Authority’s data from 1990 to 2015.
Also, part of the celebration was a fund-raising benefit concert organized by DOST-SEI’s Gender and Development Focal Point System (GFPS) and SEI Employee’s Association (SEIEA) for one of the women awardees, Demoni-Sison.
The SEI-GFPS also spearheaded a webinar for undergraduate scholars with the discussion focused on Republic Act 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women, including an in-depth discussion on Gender Sensitive Client Relations and Service Program among employees to further DOST-SEI’s services.
To promote wellness, multaneous in-person and virtual Yoga and Zumba sessions gave the employees an avenue to pursue their physical fitness targets. Capping off the festivities were a series of webinars under the banner “GAD Health Talk” which featured talks from experts on physical and mental well-being.
Biyo echoed in her message the line, “Babae ka, hindi babae lang” to highlight the pride and enormous impact that women have in all facets of work and life. In closing, Deputy Director Engineer Albert Mariño expressed gratitude to the Institute’s all-out support to campaign for gender equality.
