Truth, service, and excellence are three values that Cavite State University (CvSU) upholds and lives out as an educational institution. CvSU is renowned for its excellence in the development of  individuals with global perspectives and a moral compass.

Consistent with these values was CvSU’s active involvement in Gender and Development (GAD) of the Southern Tagalog Agriculture Resources Research and Development Consortium (STARDDEC). This close partnership has flourished with the consistent and strategic promotion of gender equality. Its mission was further strengthened by the university’s GAD Focal Point System, which was established in 2012.

GAD Influencer
Dr. Neila Cresino, CvSU Director for Gender and Development, stated, “Gender and Development programs enhance the awareness, knowledge, and skills. They also change the perceptions, attitudes, and values of faculty members, employees, students, and external clients.” CvSU was awarded as the Most Outstanding State University in GAD Implementation in Calabarzon from 2014 to 2016, which highlighted the fact that the university is a gender responsive institution.

With Cavite being known as the coffee capital not only in the Calabarzon area but in the Philippines, CvSU is in a key area as a GAD influencer. These four major focus points of the GAD lead to programs with GAD-consistent outputs: higher education services, research and development services, extension services, and support to operation. The need for GAD was determined through studies and research about coffee farming in the area.

Eye-opening Studies
“Gender-based Differentiation among Coffee Growers in Selected Areas in Cavite—a study by Marvelle R. Atienza, Shimitha Rose B. Ikuta, and Nelia C. Cresino—revealed that gender differentiation still exists among coffee growers in Cavite. The study explained: “Women tend to shoulder most of the reproductive activities while men predominantly perform productive activities. In community activities, men dominated women in agriculture-related activities such as agricultural cooperatives, farmer’s field school, community development programs, and environmental activities. Women mostly attended the financial and entrepreneurial programs. Men were more exposed to hazards since they performed the bulk of the work in the farm. On the other hand, women were more exposed to biological hazards since they are most likely to attend to sick members of the family and attend healthcare programs. Moreover, some of the women also served as barangay healthcare workers, [a designation] which exposes them to [other health risks].”

Gender and Development programs change the perceptions, attitudes, and values of faculty members, employees, students, and external clients. (Dr. Nelia Cresino)

Another study “Influence of Labor Distribution in Coffee Farmers in Amadeo, Cavite—by Angelique Anne V. Ramos, Gia Antonette A. Sales, and Willie C. Buclatin—defined the general and farming characteristics of coffee farmers in the area. It confirmed that there was “a significant relationship between sex and control over income with regards to labor distribution.” The study’s findings likewise suggests that control over income was influenced by the participant’s sex.

The overwhelming results of both studies underscored the importance of GAD. Research and studies have revealed the gender gap and how educational institutions, private companies, and the government can work together to educate one another and, in the future, lessen if not remove that gap.”

Solid Partnership
PCBI is currently in a partnership with CvSU-GAD. As the coffee business expert, PCBI provides the orientation on capacity development of coffee growers and processors on GAD gender analysis and tools, GAD planning and budgeting, as well as gender mainstreaming and conducting research on coffee under the GAD perspective.

Aiming for a sustainable gender-equal coffee industry, CvSU’s GAD department looks forward to continuing the dissemination of GAD programs, projects, and activities among coffee growers and processors. CvSU’s GAD development continues to work with the PCBI to give the industry a globally and morally good cup.