One day, a teacher brought his students near the school science pond. He asked the students to see what’s written in the white paper he soaked in the water. Twenty students stood in line to wait for their time to look. The first student said, there’s nothing written on the paper, so the teacher instructed him to look closer, then the student said it was number one. All students almost had the same answer, but the last student said, he really could not see anything from the paper. This time the teacher went very near the students to reveal that there was nothing written on the paper.
In lieu of the proliferation of information on Gender and Development, sadly most people ride the bandwagon to be safe, and secured without even recognizing the importance of true understanding of each other’s differences. People select to yield the alley of least opposition because we are frightened of refutation and to be termed imprudent and different.
Republic Act 9710 also known as Magna Carta for Women stated that “Gender and Development (GAD)” refers to the development of perspective and process that is participatory and empowering, equitable, sustainable, free from violence, respectful of human rights, and supportive of self-determination and actualization of human potentials. It seeks to achieve gender equality as a fundamental value that questions the validity of the gender roles they ascribed to women and men.
As teachers in the modern society we have to be critical and observant. Pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (e), Article 11 of R.A., 7836, otherwise known as the Philippine Professionalization Act of 1994 and Paragraph (a) section 6, Presidential Decree No. 223, as amended, the Board for Professional Teachers has adopted the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers, which has exemplified unity and understanding. I’m not an expert in legal matters, but i believe people think that just because it is legal, it is necessarily right, but in reality just because it is legal, it does not mean just and legitimate. Why, because we have law makers who keep on amending laws and we have the Supreme Court, who interprets laws in the light of social and contemporary circumstances, wherein the ideas likewise change.
Let us remember that Gender in the modern society is GENERATION OF EMPOWERED NEUTRALITY, DIVERSITY, EQUALITY, AND RESPONSIBILITY.
By: Andrea T. Galiza| Teacher III| Kalalake Elementary School|Olongapo City
