DIPOLOG CITY (PIA) – Aiming to foster student leaders who are gender-sensitive and gender-inclusive, Dipag Rainbow Collective (DRC), in partnership with the Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Government, conducted their second Gender Youth Summit with the theme “Pagbansay: Weaving the fabric of SOGIE Inclusivity in Zamboanga del Norte” held at the Zamboanga del Norte Convention Center, this city.

Finally, their last discussion centered around gender-responsive leadership, with Corky Marñan. After which, the participants had a community leadership workshop culminating in a project proposal pitching.

According to one of the participants from Saint Vincent’s College Incorporated, Willa Mae Villagracia, expressed that she was thankful to have been chosen to be part of the summit and that she hopes that DRC continues to hold events like in the near future not just for the youth, but for the rest of the province.

Out of over a hundred applications, only 30 were chosen to be part of the summit as to make the event easier to manage and to ensure that the conditions were conducive for learning.

Speakers highlighted the importance of having spaces to openly discuss issues regarding gender bias and to hear stories of members of the community in order to better understand each other, foster acceptance, and lessen, if not completely eradicate, the stigma and prejudice surrounding SOGIE and the community as a whole. (NBE/EDT/PJF/PIA9-Zamboanga del Norte)