Training in Baguio City

I recently attended a week-long training in Baguio City. That was the time when it incessantly rained in Manila, flooding at least 80% of the metro. Up north, it was freaking cold! Thank God for scarves and leg warmers, it somehow kept me warm. And of course, boots! I wore them everyday, European peg, hehehe.

Ms. Jenny and Sir Noel

Five of us from the office were sent for the training:

Girl Power: with Anne, Iriz and Avi

With Alex

The training was sponsored by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW). Ms. Ethel Caasi, from PCW, was the lecturer on Gender Sensitivity.

Ms. Ethel Caasi

While Mr. Jeff Ordonez, the Executive Director of the Mindanao Microfinance Council, was the speaker on Social Performance Management and Client Protection.

Mr. Jeff Ordonez

Other participants were representatives from our partner institutions, hailing from different parts of Luzon.

The first 2 days discussed Gender and Development (GAD). For this topic, 4 premises were clarified: 

1) GAD is not a war of the sexes;

2) GAD is not anti-male;

3) Both women and men are victims of gender inequality, although the victims are more often women than men; and

4) Both women and men have a stake in the struggle for gender equality.

Several workshops were conducted, and everyone was given an opportunity to speak and contribute to the discussions.

Expectation setting.

Comparing the attributes of men and women.

This GAD and SPM training was the last leg of the series of trainings conducted by our company, in partnership with PCW.

The last 3 days were devoted to SPM. SPM is the effective translation of an institution’s mission into practice, in line with accepted social goals. We were made to review our Mission Statement and answered the following questions: 1) Who do you want to reach?, 2) How will you meet your clients’ needs?, and 3) What are the desired outcomes?

Everyone was participative, even during ice breakers =)

Morning exercise =)

Just because we were away from the office, it was not entirely a vacation for us. We did a lot of work…. hard work =)

Brainstorming for the presentation.

Discussing and evaluating the  Mission Statement.

Creating work plans.

 

One thing’s for sure, we never got hungry, hahaha. We ate 5x a day (breakfast, am snacks, lunch, pm snacks and dinner)! Lunch and dinner were buffet. We all gained weight after the training, I guess.

We had the freshest vegetables everyday.

Villa Cordillera deliciously prepared our meals.

 And since the training was conducted within the hotel where we stayed, this terrace was the most photographed for the entire week:

Alma and Ms. Ethel:  separated at birth?! =)

The Giggle Girls: Avi and Anne

Forest vixens =)

Thank you PCFC, for the opportunity. Cheerios!

The participants.