๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Tubay, under the leadership of CENR Officer Nelson B. Caranzo, through its Gender and Development Focal Point System, conducted a seminar on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expressions (SOGIE) on March 10, 2023, in line with the observance of this year's National Women's Month Celebration (NWMC) at CENRO Tubay Conference Room in Barangay Doรฑa Rosario, Tubay, Agusan del Norte.
All personnel of CENRO Tubay, including On-the-Job Training students from Northern Mindanao Colleges, Inc., regardless of their SOGIE, participated in the seminar.
Mr. Al Marvien C. Savandal, a registered Psychometrician from the Department of Health Treatment and Rehabilitation Center-Caraga, a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, being a gay and women's rights advocate, facilitated the seminar.
In his discussion, Savandal defined and differentiated sexual orientation from gender identity and gender expression, which broadened everyone's understanding of SOGIE.
Savandal explained, "sexual orientation is an enduring physical, romantic, and emotional attraction--it is mediated by desire, by sexual attraction. Meanwhile, gender identity refers to how one conceptualizes, perceives identifies the self--the internal self."
"Gender expression is how a person expresses a gender through his or her physical appearance, dress, and behavior," Savandal added.
SOGIE is among the main highlights of this year's NWMC with the theme, "WE are all for Gender Equality, WE are all for an inclusive society," which calls for women's empowerment, gender equality, and understanding and support to people regardless of their SOGIE, hence, creating an inclusive society.
The conduct of the seminar recognizes the significant role of government employees and officials in delivering public services without discrimination against any sector of society based on gender identity.
