IMPLEMENTING PROJECTS
In pursuit of its goals as a support and advocacy group, UP Babaylan undertakes a number of activities, to wit:
- Support services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students;
- Conferences, symposia and group discussions on lesbian and gay issues;
- LGBT rights advocacy/lobbying;
- Gender sensitivity workshops; and
- Networking with national and international LGBT organizations.
Service to the University and Society
UP Babaylan has established a niche among the students of the University if the number of invitations to speak in symposia, conferences and classroom discussions is any indication. This is not confined to UP alone. Other schools in the Metropolitan Manila have invited the organization's members to speak before their students. They are also invited as panelists and resource persons in television and radio programs as well as featured in various publications. To top it all of, the organization is comprised of top caliber artists and expressionists.
Recruitment and Reaffirmation Week
The two week recruitment week takes place at the AS Walk, Math Building and CAL New Building, where a sign-up booth is usually being set up. At the sign up booth the members of the Organization never failed to entertain passers by with gimmickry and antics UP students love. During the recruitment week the members of the Organization also conduct random lectures on gender issues and information campaigns on the developments in the lgbt community. Flyers containing texts on the Anti-Discrimination Bill or House Bill 2784 were given to passers by. You may apply by going HERE.
Applicants Orientation Seminar
A crash course on the history and legacy of the organization is given to the 50 strong applicants of the Organization. A series of modules is conducted during the Orientation Seminar (OrSem). These modules run from team driven dynamics to gender sensitivity tests.
Applicants Night
A night full of celebration as the Organizations alumni gather together in a night of festivity. The applicants prepare a series of skits and playful melodies of dance and song. Food usually brought by the members and the alumni is shared by all. It is also during the Applicants Night when the applicants are given their Babaylan names.
Sem-Ender
A three-day two-night out of town trip that is full of fun, adventure and learning. Members of the organization share stories of trials and triumphs with each other and reflect on how the previous semester went so that we could better plan the coming semester.
Summer Camp
A week long out of town trip scheduled during the summer. The members of the organization goes through a series of team building activities and planning seminar for the events of the organization for the coming school year.
Gender Sensitivity Workshops
A series of workshops focusing on gender, sex and sexuality issues is conducted around the University. Participants submit themselves to a grueling five hour intensive and integrative program facilitated by the volunteers from our trained partners from TLF and TFP. It is through these workshops that we produce informed and open minded students of the University. The last year alone we were able to open the minds and inform around at least 100 students from the Asian Institute of Tourism and Kalayaan Residence Hall.
University Educational Discussions (EDs)
Not far from out vision of a University free from discrimination and fallacies, we conduct a series of education discussion where the applicants of the organization and their peers are allowed to interact in our peer-facilitated forums and seminars. There were about 500 students from the University who attended our educational discussions. The discussions involved modules and task-oriented workshops which handled issues on the following topics:
- HIV / AIDS
- Vagrancy Law
- Reproductive Health Law
- Anti-Discrimination Bill
- House Bill 2784 (Cong. Loretta Rosales)
- House Bill 9095 (Cong. Loretta Rosales)
- Senate Bill 1863 (Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago)
- Human Rights
- Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI)
- Gay Lingo
- Marriage Equality / Domestic Partnership
- University Politics / SAMASA
- LGBT Culture
Healthy Interaction & Values (H.I.V.) Workshops – c/o The Library Foundation
Since September 1991, The Library Foundation, together with the UP Babaylan, has implemented HIV and safer sex workshops at an average of one workshop every quarter. Conducted over one weekend, the Healthy Interaction and Values (H.I.V.) Workshop consists of participatory, peer-facilitated activities that focus on basic information about HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STI), issues on homosexuality and community building.
Human Rights Documentation Workshop
Together with Amnesty International – Philippines , the organization participated with the documentation of human rights developments in the Philippines
Positive Lives Exhibit
An exhibit of famous and respected international photographers was organized by the organization. Depicting the different faces of HIV/AIDS infected individuals in their everyday life never fails to portray the strong emotions behind the black and white enlargements of the photographs. The subjects were from the various South East Asian countries. Captions convey the colorful stories behind the images passers by see. Greatly applauded by art critics and students of the University, Positive Lives was one event we the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students of the University will always be proud of.
Androgyny
ANDROGYNY is the culminating activity of a month long calendar of events geared towards the celebration of Babaylan's anniversary. It is also annual event anticipated by both the UP community and the community at large from all walks of life. It is basically a motley of art expressions in dance, songs, theater and comedy showcasing top rate entertainment. Featured in the performance are the members of the organization who, through the years, have honed their respective talents under the auspices of noted artists in the various fields of the performing arts.
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR)
The Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is an annual international event that is celebrated by UP Babaylan together with all LGBT organizations in different countries. This simultaneous event includes the reading of the names of transgender victims of violence and the condemnation of violence and injustices that are based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This event calls for the end of injustice and violence towards the LGBT community.
International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHO)
Together with IDAHO Philippines, UP Babaylan celebrates May 17 as a victory for the LGBT community. It was on May 17 that the World Health Organization has officially removed homosexuality as a mental disorder, signaling the start of the heavy campaign for the acceptance of the LGBT community. LGBT affirmative studies continue to produce volumes of research that prove the rightful act of removing homosexuality from the lift of mental disorders.
UP Lantern Parade
Aside from the lantern entries from the College of Fine Arts
Lean Alejandro Leadership Training (Baras, Rizal)
Lean Alejandro was the student leader of his time. UP Babaylan raised praises as we joined the celebration of his philosophy. During the leadership training, students gained skills instrumental to the development of ones character. The leadership seminar received support from various student organizations.
Festibam
It was National Lesbian Day. For seven years now the local LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender) community has been celebrating Lesbian Day and each year happens with a different concept. The 7th year was celebrated in a complete festive mood. There was a bazaar and an exhibit. The challenge for the participant-organizations was how to make each booth particularly interesting to the general public passing-by. Festibam was a 100%-out-and-proud day for Filipino lesbians. The lesbian organizers chose a strategic venue where the general public would have a glimpse of our community. Our lesbian egos were bared to confront the wits of the morning joggers and afternoon strollers. And this challenge was suffice to expose in exponential degrees of how the modern Filipino lesbian looks like and acts in public.
Manila Pride March – Philippines
The whole world danced in one song. UP Babaylan helped TFP, the official organizer of Pride March Philippines, through manpower and ideas on how the Pride March this year should be celebrated. UP Babaylan will be spearheading the student and academic arm of Task Force Pride March. We will be in charge of the alliance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered student organizations in the Philippines
UP Pride Week
UP Pride Week started in 2008 when UP Babaylan organized a series of events that highlighted the struggles of the LGBT community. It was held in the month of June, the International Pride Month. The first UP Pride Week included a series of educational discussions and was culminated with the very first UP Pride March.
UP Pride March
UP Babaylan started the very first UP Pride March on June 28, 2008 as part of the line-up of activities the organization planned for the Centennial year of the University. 21 members and alumni of the organization marched around the Academic Oval carrying a giant rainbow flag while cheerfully chanting for the end of violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (sogi). The organization took the march from the streets into the hallways of Palma Hall soliciting support and cheer from the crowd. The march ended with a solidarity message from the organization.
UP Fair
The yearly event of the University was once again supported by the Organization by hosting a booth during the six day celebration. We sold food and beverages from which the proceeds will go to financing our projects.
USC Elections
The University Student Council Election is a very humbling experience for the organization. It also serves as our gauge to the level of the University’s acceptance of our LGBT community. The organization received numerous criticisms and a continuous flow of disrespectful articles from a student publication, but we never cowered before them. We remained proud of our lineage and legacy as our alumni were at their times. As anti-government student organizations continued to feed and instill homophobia in the minds of the University’s scholars, we remained clear with our goal, we remained focused on our ideals, and that is to win the elections fair and square. We are proud that we ran the past elections not at the expense of other candidates but with only our vision steadily lifting the butterfly wings of our ideals.
CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES
