DOST IV-A Gender and Development Unit

23/07/2026

𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐓-𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐙𝐎𝐍 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔! 🧑‍🦽‍➡️✨

Observed in July, Disability Pride Month celebrates disability identity and community and highlights the fight for full inclusion and equal rights for Persons with Disabilities (PWD). While the celebration first started in the US to commemorate the signing of the “Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)” in July 1990, the Philippines also has its own events for PWD during this month. These are the “National Disability Rights Week” from July 13-23, and the birthday of the one of our national heroes, the ‘Sublime Paralytic’ Apolinario Mabini, on July 23.

This year, Disability Pride Month focuses on the theme, “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘜𝘴”. It emphasizes that when PWDs are included, respected, and supported, communities work better for everyone.

DOST-CALABARZON commits itself to creating an inclusive environment for clients and employees regardless of their SOGIESC, disability, religion and/or indigenous group membership. Our agency is also proudly represented by PWDs who continue to show excellence in spite of their disabilities, proving that we indeed work better because they are included.

To give PWDs the spotlight that they deserve, we asked them, “𝘐𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘋𝘖𝘚𝘛-𝘊𝘈𝘓𝘈𝘉𝘈𝘙𝘡𝘖𝘕 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘢 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵?”. Let us hear them out as we continue to champion disability rights and create an inclusive environment for all!

Happy Disability Pride Month! 🩶❤️💛🤍🩵💚🩶

21/07/2026

𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐓-𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐙𝐎𝐍 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤! 🙌♿

July 17 to 23 of every year is observed as “National Disability Rights Week”. Mandated by Proclamation No. 597, s. 2024, NDRW is celebrated to foster public awareness on disability issues, encourage Filipinos to take active responsibility in uplifting the economic and social conditions of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), and highlight efforts towards disability prevention and rehabilitation. Additionally, it aligns itself with the birthday of the “Sublime Paralytic”– Apolinario Mabini– on July 23rd, who is a prime example of PWD representation in public service.

This year, National Disability Rights Week focuses on the theme, “Rights First, Legislation Forward – Strategic Action for Equal Participation and Inclusive Development". It highlights the urgent need for all government agencies to work together with communities towards establishing inclusive policies and services, especially for disabled individuals.

DOST-CALABARZON commits itself to PWD inclusivity in several ways: we adhere to the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy (EEOP) that ensures that the agency does not discriminate against the applicant’s SOGIESC, disability, religion and/or indigenous group membership; and we extend technical assistance and trainings to various communities, including those led by or are mostly consisted of PWDs.

This NDRW 2026, let us continue to extend help towards PWDs, advocate for their rights, and empower them to live long, fulfilling lives beyond their disabilities 💪

30/06/2026

𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐓-𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐙𝐎𝐍 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐔’𝐬 “𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔”! 👟🌈

In continuous pursuit of gender equality and inclusivity, DOST CALABARZON participated in the UP Open University (UPOU) ’s Pride Month celebration titled “Stride With Pride – Pride Walk 2026”. Hosted by the UPOU Office of Gender Concerns , the event brought together participants through a short walk around the campus to collectively express commitment to creating safe, respectful, and inclusive learning environments.

Solidarity messages were also shared by the University’s partners, including DOST-CALABARZON. The agency’s message highlighted the importance of acceptance, equity, and inclusion, especially as public servants in the field of science, technology, and innovation (STI). They also expressed commitment to advocating for the LGBTQIA+’s community’s right to exist and finding empowerment from being their true, authentic selves. Because achieving a smarter, sustainable Philippines means that nobody should be left behind in the process.

Mabuhay ang LGBTQIA+ community! Mabuhay ang inklusibong agham at teknolohiya para sa lahat! ✨

23/06/2026

𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐓-𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐙𝐎𝐍 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐲! 👷‍♀️🔧

Commemorated every June 23rd, the International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) celebrates the work and achievements of women engineers and highlights career opportunities in the field to encourage the youth to pursue engineering. This year, INWED focuses on the theme, “Engineering Intelligence”, which aims to spotlight the kinds of intelligence women engineers possess– human intelligence, design intelligence, safety intelligence, and organizational intelligence– and how their work contributes to creating the same kind of engineering intelligence for future generations.

Despite progress, women in engineering are still underrepresented. Latest data from the STEM Leadership Alliance revealed that in the Philippines, 36% of STEM graduates in the Philippines are women, and only 46.2% of Filipina STEM graduates are employed in STEM-related fields. INWED exists to address this disparity globally and give more women a platform to use their skills in what is typically considered a male-dominated field.

In line with this, DOST-CALABARZON is proudly represented by brilliant women in engineering, who continue to prove that excellence, grit, and innovation is not defined or hindered by one’s gender.

So, this INWED, let us recognize the hard work and contributions of women in engineering, let the younger generation know that their talent and skills in the field are always needed, and continue to create spaces for women engineers to thrive 💜







Sources:

International Women’s Day. (n.d.) International Women in Engineering Day celebrates the talent of women engineers.
https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Missions/15543/International-Women-in-Engineering-Day-celebrates-the-talent-of-women-engineers

Aguas, D., Mendoza, C. , Monasterio, I., (n.d.)
Celebrating every young girl's skills, capabilities, and dreams in STEM. STEM Leadership Alliance. https://www.stemleadershipalliance.org/stem-young-women

Women’s Engineering Society. (n.d.) International Women in Engineering Day. https://www.inwed.org.uk/

21/06/2026

To every Ama/Tatay/Itay/Tay who stayed resilient through the challenges of providing for the family,

To every Daddy/Dad/Dy who helped their kids find life’s answers in fun and creative ways,

To every Papa/Pa who strived to set a good example to the youth and fellow men,

And to every father and father-at-heart whose strength and love made a lasting impact on somebody else’s growth,

𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘭 𝘯𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘭 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘬𝘢𝘺𝘰 🥰
𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓'𝒔 𝑫𝒂𝒚! 💌💐

15/06/2026

𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐙𝐎𝐍 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐌𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡! 💙

Aligning itself with the month that celebrates Father’s Day, Men’s Health Month (MHM) is commemorated every June to educate and raise awareness on issues regarding and men’s health across lifespans. Today, June 15th, also marks the start of Men’s Health Week.

This year, MHM focuses on the theme: “Partners in Care: Advancing Men’s Health Through Connection, Education, & Advocacy Across the Lifespan — for Better Lifespans”. It emphasizes that men’s health is not experienced in isolation. Their behaviors, access to care, and long-term health outcomes are shaped by their relationships with partners, families, friends, and communities. Therefore, care should be treated as a partnership between men and the people they are connected to.

MHM also sheds light on the issue that men die earlier from preventable diseases and fatal injuries, all due to negligence of one’s health and wellbeing. Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority supports this, showing that there were more male deaths (56.6%) than female deaths (43.3%) in 2025, where the leading causes of death were from heart diseases, cancer, and stroke.

Because care is a two-way-street, MHM calls to action that men’s care partners– their families, caregivers, friends, and community– extend physical, mental, and social support through empathetic connection, education, and advocacy. This way, men live longer, healthier lives not only for themselves but for those connected to them.

DOST-CALABARZON extends the same kind of care by promoting food safety trainings to prevent diseases, and the proper handling of equipment for product processing to prevent injuries. Our employees are also provided access to resources that support and improve their physical and mental health. These ensure that men remain safe and healthy, so that they may be able to return to their families and continue to serve their community for longer.

Let us continue to extend care to the men in our lives, and let them know they are not alone in their struggles. When everybody regardless of gender is included in the circle of care, we move towards a more empowered, inclusive, and sustainable nation 🙌









Sources:

Men’s Health Network. (2026). 2026 Men’s Health Month.https://menshealthmonth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Mens-Health-Month-2026-toolkit-compress.pdf

Philippine Statistics Authority. (2026, May 26). Birth, Marriage, and Death Statistics for 2025. https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/vital-statistics/node/1684083526

01/06/2026