PAMANA: Turnover Activity
November 05, 2022
The first collaborative activity of the “How Can I Help?” series of the DLSL Student Government (SG) and DLSL Lasallian Alliance of Youth Advocates for Equality (LAYA) is entitled PAMANA: Turnover Activity. Through Google Meet, this event was designed to engage the former facilitators, organizers, and heads of the activity with the current officers of the two organizations. Previous facilitators and heads of the How Can I Help last SY 2021 – 2022 oriented the current facilitators and heads about the following topics: Step 1: Being a Pioneer of the Lasallian Movement for Equality, Writing Policies, and Embracing Diversity in De La Salle Lipa.
As the program committee head before, Mx. Arn Alinea gave an overview about How Can I Help and shared the experiences and the challenges they encountered. As for the second speaker, Mr. Dale Castillo, he introduced the three core values - connection, determination, and bravery - they instilled to formally establish How Can I Help in the Lasallian community. Ms. Carmela Vidal, the last speaker shared her personal experience about How Can I Help. She shared the three lessons she gained from sparheading the activity were: 1) to recognize that you are not alone, 2) listen and contribute, and 3) fight.
Community Assembly
December 10, 2022
For its second installment, the Community Assembly aims to bring together the students and hold a consultative focus group discussion to further understand what the Lasallian community experiences and needs. The event was held on a face-to-face set up right at the 3rd Floor of NEXUS Laboratory. The participants were divided into two sessions, one for the morning and in the afternoon.
Ms. Juliana Aireen Garcia, the Diversity, Empowerment, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee Secretary, started the event with a briefer on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC). Following this, she discussed the current situation of female students and the members of LGBTQIA+ community within the school. She ended the talk with the question, “para kanino?” to reiterate the importance of implementing gender-inclusive and sensitive school policies.With that, the former Executive Presidents of Student Government and LAYA, Mr. Dale Fernan Castillo together with Mx. Reden Raz took off with their talk about the written draft of the DLSL Safe Spaces Policy to highlight the individual and collective efforts made to establish a safe and inclusive learning environment to all students.Participants were randomly divided into several groups wherein they were asked to illustrate their ideal Lasallian community and write down the issues and challenges they have encountered within the school. By the end of the Assembly, students expressed enthusiasm and gratitude for being able to participate in this kind of event where their concerns and struggles were heard and addressed to in the future.
This annual campaign of LAYA that aims to involve members of the Lasallian Community in establishing a more inclusive environment. For this year, its theme is “Demystifying Coming Out” which aims to inform the Lasallian Community about the process of coming out through online postings.Seventy-seven (77) respondents, all of which are members of the Lasallian College Community for this school year, became part of the campaign. A survey has been conducted to gather information and suggestions that may be used in formulating future projects and to engage the Lasallian Community in improving the service of delivering safe, equal, and inclusive spaces for all.
According to the results from the survey, only 2.6% of the respondents are fully out, which is then supported by the numbers that say the acceptance of family members, stigma and the fear of discrimination are the main barriers to members of the LGBTQ+ community in accessing help and support.From this, we can derive that even though the times are fast changing, the deep-rooted beliefs and practices of the community are hard to break or even bend. Members of the LGBTQ+ community, whether part of the Lasallian Community, lack representation and needs our help in achieving equality. Members of the Lasallian College Community have recommended that the institution, De La Salle Lipa and its stakeholders continue implementing activities that would establish an inclusive community and a safe space for everyone.