Students from the College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) participated in the month-long series of symposia on the Republic Act 11313 also known as the “Safe Space Law” spearheaded by the Gender and Development Resource Center (GADRC), in partnership with the Center for Human Rights Education (CHRE), the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Services (OVCSS), and the Kataastaasang Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral (KASAMA), held at the IDS multi-purpose last November 16, 2022.
The activity coined, “Oopps, Bawal Bastos: A University-wide Conversation on the Safe Space Act of 2019", is the institute's effort to spread awareness about the gender-based sexual harassment (GBSH) that occurs in public places, educational or training facilities, workplace and online spaces, particularly among students, which is covered by the law as a structural type of violence.
Atty. Edgar Allan Aguirre Donasco graces the event with an acknowledgement speech for the facilitators of the said event. After which, Dr. Rohanne Derogongan, the Vice Chancellor for Student Services emphasized in her remarks the importance of the wide dissemination of the Bawal Bastos Law.
We need to remember that our relationship with others are bound by sensitivities that are gender specific,
Following the Vice Chancellor’s opening remarks, the facilitators administered paper clocks as part of their Getting To Know You Activity where every student was encouraged to find a “Clock Date”, ask details about each other and know their thoughts on “Safe Space”.
Enthused by the activity, the symposium proceeded with the lecture-discussion prepared by resource speaker, Atty. Sheila Dagondon– a faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences, a practicing lawyer and a candidate for PhD– on Republic Act 11313 aka Safe Spaces Act of 2019. An act defining gender-based sexual harassment in streets, public spaces, online, workplaces, and educational or training institutions, providing protective measures and prescribing penalties therefor.
Atty. Dagondon discussed five Articles under the Republic Act 11313, penalties for the offender, procedures in filing a case, and the liabilities the law has to offer for the offenders. During the discussion, she highlighted the relevance of the Republic Act 11313 among the students and the institution through Article V (Gender-based Sexual Harassment in Educational and Training Institutions) and gender-based online sexual harassment in online spaces which is very prevalent.
[The] Safe Spaces [Act] actually address situations or incidents that happen in public, [it may also address private incidents, given that there is ample amount of evidence],
After the lecture-discussion, students’ concerns and questions were catered to through an Open Forum. Students raised their questions: whether a screenshot may be used as evidence to file a case for online sexual harassment, the penalty money as damage, and the accountability for inflicting harm on the offender under the pretext of self-defense, and prescription periods.
Unfortunately, the open forum was halted and the symposium ended abruptly, due to unfavorable weather conditions.
About the Authors
Rona Marie Julaica Alison
Rona Marie Julaica I. Alison is currently taking up BA Sociology as a Freshman Student at Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT). She took up Humanities and Social Sciences and graduated from Molave Vocational Technical School in her Senior High School. She joined journalism from 2014 until 2022 where she qualified for National Schools Press Conference on Online Publishing as the News Writer. Currently, she is a member of CASSayuran as a News Writer.
Raiza Jill Genalo
Raiza Jill Genalo, a news writer from CASSayuran, is a first year BA Literary and Cultural Studies student at MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology. In high school, she was a sports writer. She has written research papers that won in a few competitions. And also joined and won a few literary contests. She aspires to pursue a career in the medical field, while also exploring and nurturing her love for crafting literature.
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