“We are therefore honored to be identified by the Commission on Human Rights, Philippine Anti-Discrimination Alliance of Youth Leaders (PANTAY), and Pride Philippines as a gender inclusive university. We look forward to developing, with the assistance of these groups as well as the support from the Embassy of the Netherlands to the Philippines, a standardized approach to diversity and inclusion among educational institutions in the Philippines,” said President Juan Miguel Montinola.
Last Oct. 25, PANTAY, Pride PH, and the Commission on Human Rights launched the “Rainbow Report Card” in Far Eastern University-Manila. With the backing of the Embassy of Netherlands in the country, the accomplishment of guidelines for monitoring sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics) was made possible among Philippine schools under the Project Gender Equality Index for Schools or Project GEIS.
“FEU at its core has always had the mindset of inclusivity and diversity. Our mission is to educate all and mold to have meaningful careers and meaningful lives. We are non-sectarian. While we do have a chapel on campus, we likewise have a multi-faith prayer room,” said Montinola.
During the launch event, Netherlands Ambassador to the Philippines, Marielle Geraedts, applauded FEU’s collaboration with champions for inclusion and equality. She added that it was a delight to witness this important event at the beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive FEU campus.
With FEU’s panoramic passion toward an all-embracing atmosphere, it takes pride in being a gender inclusive university. Ticking off all indicators such as educational policies, programs, and projects to successfully cultivate a welcoming environment regardless of differences, the institution indeed characterizes a nondiscriminatory setting that acknowledges all individuals and multiplicity.
“When schools adopt diversity and inclusive policies, everyone benefits – regardless if they are LGBTQ+ or not. The overflowing support from government agencies, international partners, school administrators, teachers, and most especially students, reveal that we are on the right track – towards a future where schools treat and embrace all of us with love, dignity, and acceptance,” said Mela Habijan, Pride PH Convenor.
FEU is honored to take part in beginning a delightful journey of making student learning free of prejudice and partiality. Empowerment can kick off in the education arena through establishing equality among all.