“PAG-APRESYAR: Championing Women’s Rights and Achievements Through Youth Engagement,” a workshop held in Nalundan National High School on March 29, 2026, aimed to celebrate women’s month and enlighten the youth about the contributions, struggles, and personal stories or experiences of women in our society.
The event was arranged by the UP Visayas (UPV) Social Science 5 – Section 4 students under Dr. Mary Barby P. Badayos-Jover. There were a total of 53 high school students ranging from grades 7 to 11 who participated in the workshop. Through informative speeches and engaging activities, the event inspired the participants to develop a deeper appreciation and recognition for women and gender equality. This interactive workshop also encouraged the students to share their own takeaways, allowing them to freely express their perspectives with one another.
The program kicked off with a high-energy “True or Weh?” icebreaker, where students used facial expressions to show their agreement or disagreement with common misconceptions about women. This set the stage for the guest speaker Atty. Elaine Segura, who delivered a compelling lecture on the evolution of women’s rights, highlighting the history of International Women’s Day, voting and education rights, fair wages, and the importance of CEDAW.
An interactive open forum followed, where both the speaker and students exchanged questions and insights. The session then shifted to creative expression through “Paint me HERstory: A Paint Me A Picture Game” and “She-Maps the Future: Collaborative Concept Mapping”, where they visually represented their perspectives on the role of women in society. The program concluded at the “Empowering Wall,” a shared space where students freely expressed their thoughts and realizations, ensuring that the essence of the advocacy lasted even after the session ended.
Guided by its objectives, the event successfully highlighted the relevance of recognizing and appreciating our women in all aspects of society. The month of March stands as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices, struggles, and contributions of women throughout history, encouraging us to reflect on how we can create a more inclusive and accepting present. Appreciating women should not just end after March, but must be lived out every day—through our actions, words, and decisions.
With the event concluding with an empowering wall, the ideas and reflection of the participants demonstrated how a single Rashida Eunice Sahid, and Jovhelle Crisostomomind today can change how society will live, because the future is not only ahead of us, but is already being shaped by what we believe today.
Written by: Isabelle Therese Menchavez, Rashida Eunice Sahid, and Jovhelle Crisostomo
Photos Courtesy of Soc Sci-5 (Section 4)
#WomensMonth #GenderEquality #UniversityofthePhilippinesVisayas
