Philippine Embassy holds back-to-back lectures on creating a safe workplace and GAD planning and budgeting
Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano highlighted the zero tolerance policy of the Philippine Embassy vis-à-vis sexual harassment, and an open door policy to immediately deal with complaints against problematic behaviors in the office, during her remarks in the Seminar on Creating a Safe Workplace and Echo Training on GAD Planning and Budgeting held on 29 August 2024 at the Philippine Embassy.
TOKYO, 29 August 2024 – The Philippine Embassy in Japan, under the auspices of its Gender and Development (GAD) program, conducted back-to-back lectures for its personnel on 29 August 2024 at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Embassy to address workplace harassment, and to equip personnel with tools on GAD planning and budgeting.
The first activity, entitled Seminar on Creating a Safe Workplace, was facilitated by First Secretary and Consul Darell Artates. The discusssions focused on legal and real-life perspectives on sexual harassment, intervention strategies to proactively deal with problematic behaviors in the office setting, and situational exercises to apply these intervention strategies. Consul Artates highlighted the importance of cultivating a workplace culture built on respect, civility and inclusion during her lecture.
Philippine Embassy First Secretary and Consul Darell Ann R. Artates (left) and First Secretary and Consul Alvin C. Malasig (right) talk about perspectives on sexual harassment and intervention strategies to address problematic behaviors in the workplace, and gender mainstreaming, and GAD planning and budgeting, respectively, during the GAD activity.
Embassy personnel actively participated in group discussions on implementing intervention strategies to address sexual harassment in the workplace.
Philippine Embassy personnel, led by Deputy Head of Mission and Consul General Charmaine A. Serna-Chua, share their views on how to address sexual harassment in the office setting.
The seminar was followed by an echo training on GAD planning and budgeting by First Secretary and Consul Alvin C. Malasig, as the Philippine Embassy’s Alternate GAD Focal Point Officer. Consul Malasig presented GAD concepts, the salient points of the Philippine Gender Mainstreaming (GMS) strategy, the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines’ (DFA) GAD Agenda 2023-2028, and the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines, especially on how programs, activities and projects can be implemented by applying a gender-lens perspective.
“The Embassy’s GAD program and its activities should be intentional, participative, and not confined to a few people or only to women. That is why all personnel should be part of these initiatives so that we are all on the same page in our understanding of GAD issues, especially on women empowerment, gender equality and inclusivity,“ said Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano during her remarks.
Ambassador Garcia-Albano also upheld the zero tolerance policy of the Embassy vis-à-vis sexual harassment, and an open door policy to immediately deal with complaints against problematic behaviors in the office. Additionally, she encouraged all Embassy personnel to recommend future activities to address GAD issues.
Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano (5th from left) leads the Philippine Embassy in Japan in promoting a culture of respect in the workplace, gender equality and inclusivity during the back-to-back lectures on GAD.
Under the leadership of Ambassador Garcia-Albano, the Embassy, through its GAD Program Implementation Team, plans to organize more targeted GAD initiatives that will benefit the Filipino Community within the Embassy’s jurisdiction, Embassy personnel and other stakeholders in Japan.
