Central Mindanao University Academic Paradise of the South
Central Mindanao University (CMU) continues to strengthen its commitment to gender equality and inclusivity by actively participating in the Gender Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework (GMEF) Baselining and Validation Session for State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), held on June 18–19, 2025, in Cagayan de Oro City.
Organized by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) through its North Mindanao Field Office (NMFO), the two-day session aimed to increase the capacity of SUCs in using the GMEF tool to assess and improve their gender mainstreaming strategies. The activity provided orientation on the GMEF objectives, indicators, and validation process, equipping SUC representatives with the knowledge needed to evaluate institutional GAD performance and identify areas for improvement.
CMU’s Center for Gender and Development (CGAD) Office, led by OIC Chief Prof. Madelon A. Boiser, together with GAD Secretariat Ms. Marie O. Gamil and GAD TWG Ms. Iyren Dalipe-Neri, attended the two-day session, along with eight other SUCs from Regions 9,10, and 13.
Prof. Boiser expressed her gratitude to the Philippine Commission on Women for the opportunity to engage in the GMEF Baselining and Validation Session. She emphasized that the experience helped strengthen the university’s ongoing efforts to institutionalize gender-responsive programs and policies.
“We are deeply honored to have been part of this initiative, which has significantly enhanced our understanding and capacity to integrate gender perspectives into our institutional programs, policies, and practices. This will serve as a strong foundation in our continuous efforts to promote gender equality and inclusivity within our university and to the communities we serve,” Prof Boiser emphasized.
The validation results of the session will be instrumental in determining CMU’s current GMEF level—an essential step as the university prepares to formally join the 2026 GADTimpala Recognition.
Meanwhile, the activity also served as a platform to promote the GADTimpala Awards, which recognize exemplary performance in GAD institutionalization. The PCW has already notified CMU that the university has been found qualified to vie for the prestigious GADTimpala recognition for SUCs.
CMU President Dr. Rolito G. Eballe expressed his full support for the endeavor, encouraging the CGAD Office to prepare the requirements and coordinate with the university’s Gender and Development Focal Point System (GFPS).
“It’s an essential mechanism not only for compliance but for ensuring that our programs truly respond to the needs of all genders. We are not applying just for recognition, but we are implementing the program for the benefit of our constituents here at CMU,” Dr. Eballe asserted.
To move forward in the assessment, CMU will submit key documents including a letter of intent, GMEF results, and documentation of its gender-responsive curriculum, research, and extension programs. [Iyren Dalipe Neri]
