Manila – The Gender and Development (GAD) Committee of the Institute for Labor Studies recently concluded a virtual SOGIE-SC Workshop for its employees and senior officials last August 30.

Deputy Executive Director Mary Grace L. Riguer-Teodosio delivered the Welcome Remarks, reminding participants on the importance of understanding the concepts to be discussed toward the Institute’s and ILS-GAD’s efforts to promote inclusivity and gender equality and sensitivity in the office.

The workshop was conducted with the assistance from Jap Ignacio and Byron Senga representing Babaylanes, Inc., an alumni organization of LGBTQI organizations from the University of the Philippines and UP Babaylan, and APCOM.org, a non-profit organization representing and working with a network of individuals and community-based organizations across 35 countries in Asia and the Pacific.

The workshop aimed to increase the awareness on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) concepts and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Life (LGBTQI) issues for the employees and senior officials of the Institute. The modules were anchored on the concepts of well-being, diversity, and inclusion, and both cover an introduction to the surface biases against LGBTQI persons, and discuss the current situation of LGBTQI Filipinos.