In celebration of National Women’s Month this March 2026, De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), through the Office of the Vice President for Lasallian Mission and Student Life (OVPLMSL), rolls out “Breaking Bias, Building Balance: Women’s Month Celebration 2026.”
National Women’s Month, observed throughout March in the Philippines, draws strength from the global commemoration of International Women’s Day every March 8—a reminder that gender equality was never handed over politely, but pushed forward through collective action.
Benilde’s 2026 theme, “Breaking Bias, Building Balance,” centers on confronting both subtle and systemic forms of gender bias while strengthening fairness, inclusion, and gender-responsive environments where women and all genders can thrive.
The Women’s Month celebration will bring together diverse activities in partnership with Benilde’s centers and offices among them, the Center for Social Action (CSA), the People and Organization Development Office (PODO), the Center for Emergency Management, Safety and Security (CEMSS), the Center for Restorative Discipline (CRD), the School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS), the Center for Learning Resources (CLR), and the Center for Inclusive Education (CIE), alongside student organizations and volunteers.
Each event is designed not only to educate but to engage the Benildean community in active reflection and practical action. With themes of empowerment, inclusivity, and shared accountability, the celebration invites students and associates to deepen their roles as #GADvocates in building a safer, more respectful Benilde.
A month of voices, courage, and action
The celebration opened with the Opening of the National Women’s Month Celebration on March 2, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the Atrium Lobby. Designed to set the tone for the month, the opening program will introduce the key messages and activities paired with a mini-exhibit featuring Safe Spaces Act–related artworks and outputs, and followed by a salo-salo for participants. Organizers also encourage the Benildean community to wear purple, as a visible show of solidarity that turns the lobby into a shared statement.
The first week continues beyond campus, as CSA holds “ADBOKASERYE: Usapang kontra karahasan sa kababihan”, a Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) Seminar via Zoom for barangay partners on March 6 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The session is positioned as a bridge between institutional advocacy and community work, with Ms. Nicole Trisha Panganiban, Benilde’s Institutional Gender and Development (GAD) focal person, will serve as resource speaker.
On March 9, the program leans into practical empowerment through “GAD to be Safe: Self-Defense Training for associates and students” at the Learning Commons, led by PODO and CEMSS. The morning session is for student participants, while the afternoon session is for the associates. This activity aims to promote preparedness and confidence, as safety is integral to everyday spaces.
That same week, Women’s Month also creates space for storytelling and representation within the Deaf community. SDEAS will stage a short play on March 9 and 10 at the ARG Theater, Taft Campus, highlighting women’s empowerment, safe spaces, and gender equality through a Deaf-centered lens.
On March 10 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., student leaders are invited into the work of building safer spaces from the inside out through “Gender-Responsive Leadership: Empowering Advocates for Safe Spaces and Mainstreaming,” a seminar-workshop at the Ideation Room, Atrium led by CRD. The session is structured around plenary inputs from GAD experts, circle discussions for reflection and scenario-based problem solving, and a closing commitment circle.
Mid-month energy peaks at Greenway Taft with the “Carnival of Equality: Gender and Development advocacy fair” on March 16 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The fair reimagines advocacy as experiential learning through activities like Burst the Bias (a balloon-dart game where stereotypes are popped and confronted), interactive equality-themed booths, and a Commitment Tree where participants leave pledges for gender sensitivity and respect. Organized with CRD, CSA, BeSG participation, student organizations, and volunteers, the fair turns a public campus space into a collective reminder that equality is built in what we normalize, repeat, and refuse to laugh off.
On March 17, Women’s Month shifts into reflective restoration through “EmpowerHER Circles: Conversations on Leadership, Balance, and Compassion” at the Ideation Room, Atrium. Designed as a Kapihan session and restorative circle for women educators and leaders, the gathering offers a guided space for sharing experiences, challenges, and strengths in leadership. Partners include OVPLMSL, PODO, CRD, CSA, and employee groups such as Benilde Administrative and Support Personnel Association (BASPA).
The event continues on March 18 at the Learning Commons, 8th Floor, Design and Arts (D+A) Campus, with BookTalk featuring a woman author or a book focused on women’s stories, empowerment, and gender equality. The session signals a quieter kind of advocacy where a shared text becomes a shared language for naming lived experience.
The core line-up concludes on March 19 with a learning session via Zoom on Gender and Development in the Context of Students with Specific Learning Needs, led by CIE. This session anchors the month in a crucial truth about gender responsiveness: it must be inclusive, accessible, and attentive to the realities of different learners; otherwise, it risks becoming performative.
Beyond scheduled events, Women’s Month extends into everyday campus movement through a month-long Safe Space Spot stickers and decal campaign marking selected hotspots (including fire exits, elevators, the Generator, e-shuttles, and related exhibit installations) as visible cues of Benilde’s commitment to safe, inclusive, and respectful zones. Supported by marketing and media coverage, the campaign aims to widen reach and invite continued engagement through #GADinBenilde and related advocacy messaging.
Attendance for Women’s Month 2026 activities is open to Benildean students and associates, more information and announcements can be found at the OVP-LMSL Facebook page.
For updates on safe spaces initiatives and related capacity sessions, Benilde has also previously directed community members to reach out through official GAD communication channels.
