THE Department of Tourism (DOT) in Western Visayas is continuing its efforts to boost gender sensitivity among tourism stakeholders in the region, including Negros Occidental.
The regional line agency, in partnership with the Negros Occidental Tourism Division, Wednesday, July 25, conducted the second run of its Gender Sensitivity Orientation for tourism stakeholders in the province at Metro Inn Hotel in Bacolod City.
The one-day activity gathered 40 representatives from the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Negros Occidental (HRANO), Alliance of Tour Guides in Occidental Negros (ATON), Tourism Educators and Movers Philippines-Western Visayas (Team PH-WV), Council of Hotel and Restaurant Educators of the Philippines-Negros Island, National Association of Independent Travel Agencies-Negros Occidental (Naitas), and city tourism offices of Bacolod and Talisay.
Cristine Mansinares, provincial supervising tourism operations officer, said the orientation is focused on learning the basic gender concepts and principles.
“Participants are also taught on gender sensitivity and on how to properly deal with gender issues in the tourism industry,” she added.
Estela Paredes, president and executive director of Expert Panel Consultancy Incorporated, served as speaker during the orientation.
The first orientation, last June 27, was participated by 55 representatives of local government units (LGUs) and other tourism stakeholders in the province.
After the first two activities, four more batches will be conducted in the province this year.
Mansinares earlier stressed that gender sensitivity encompasses the ability to acknowledge gender differences and inequalities.
The orientation, which is part of the DOT's activities for the Gender and Development (GAD) program, served as an instrument to assess how gender shapes the roles of men and women in today's society.
"It was designed to open up communications to bring mutual understanding and respect for each other’s roles," she also said.