The Supreme Court (SC), together with the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA), held its third Gender Sensitivity Training (GST) for the Judiciary for the Bohol courts from July 30 to August 1, 2025, at the Modala Beach Resort in Panglao, Bohol.
The training was led by Associate Justices Henri Jean Paul B. Inting and Jhosep Y. Lopez, Co-Chairpersons of the SC Committee on Gender Responsiveness in the Judiciary (CGRJ). It aimed to strengthen gender awareness and encourage gender-responsive practices among judges and court personnel in the province.
Justice Inting, a proud Boholano, emphasized in his opening remarks the SC’s ongoing effort to embed gender mainstreaming in the Judiciary. He said,
“We are moving towards creating a judiciary that is inherently more inclusive, more compassionate, and truly responsive. This effort transcends simple policy adjustments or procedural changes; it is a profound reaffirmation of our core responsibility: to ensure that justice is not just administered, but genuinely experienced by everyone.”
He encouraged the participants to view the training as a catalyst for change that sparks dialogue, challenges old mindsets, and inspires lasting action. He added that these steps will help the Judiciary uphold dignity, promote equality, and respond to society’s changing needs.
Justice Inting also noted that the GST forms part of the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022–2027 (SPJI), instituted by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo.
“The SPJI envisions a Judiciary that is ‘modern, transparent, efficient, and accountable’ – one that responds effectively to the evolving needs of our society. In line with that vision, gender sensitivity is not a peripheral concern, but a central pillar of judicial excellence. It affirms that justice must be rooted not only in law, but in fairness, empathy, and inclusion.”
Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Co-Chairperson of the SC Committee on Gender Responsiveness in the Judiciary (CGRJ), delivers the opening remarks during the Gender Sensitivity Training for the Judiciary, held on July 31, 2025 at the Modala Beach Resort in Panglao, Bohol. (Photo courtesy of the SC CGRJ Secretariat)
Justice Lopez took a pioneering role as the first SC Justice to serve as a resource person for the GST initiatives under the SPJI. On the last day, he gave a lecture on “Gender-Fair Language in the Judiciary and Gender-Fair Courtroom Etiquette,” a key feature of the Revised GST Module of the CGRJ.
“[T]his training goes beyond refining language or correcting behavior. It is about cultivating a deeper understanding of respect, inclusion, and dignity for all individuals, regardless of sex, gender identity, or expression.”
Justice Lopez emphasized that gender sensitivity is not a passing advocacy but a permanent and principled commitment—both a constitutional mandate and an ethical responsibility that supports justice, fairness, and equality.
Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez, Co-Chairperson of the SC Committee on Gender Responsiveness in the Judiciary (CGRJ), delivers a lecture on “Gender-Fair Language in the Judiciary and Gencer-Fair Courtroom Etiquette” during the Gender Sensitivity Training for the Judiciary, held on August 1, 2025, at the Modala Beach Resort in Panglao, Bohol. (Photo courtesy of the SC CGRJ Secretariat)
Retired SC Associate Justice and PHILJA Vice Chancellor Edgardo Lao Delos Santos opened the first day by urging participants to approach gender sensitivity with awareness, empathy, and the courage to challenge norms. He expressed hope that they would leave the training better equipped to address gender-based disparities and promote respectful, inclusive environments.
Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Maria Theresa V. Mendoza-Arcega, Chairperson of the Technical Working Group on the Revised GST Module of the CGRJ, lectured on gender-fair language and courtroom etiquette on the first two days of the training and delivered the closing remarks on the third.
Retired Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice and Philippine Judicial Academy Vice Chancellor Edgardo Lao Delos Santos delivers the opening remarks during the Gender Sensitivity Training for the Judiciary, held on July 30, 2025, at the Modala Beach Resort in Panglao, Bohol. (Photo courtesy of the SC CGRJ Secretariat)
Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Maria Theresa V. Mendoza-Arcega delivers the closing remarks during the Gender Sensitivity Training for the Judiciary, held on August 1, 2025, at the Modala Beach Resort in Panglao, Bohol. (Photo courtesy of the SC CGRJ Secretariat)
The three-day training also featured sessions on Fundamental Gender Concepts, Gender Images in Relation to Gender Concepts; Sexual Harassment, Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI), and Safe Spaces Act; and Recognizing and Handling Gender-Related Issues; and an open forum for individual reflections on gender-sensitive behavior in and out of the workplace.
Lecturers included Court of Appeals Associate Justice Jose Lorenzo R. Dela Rosa; Presiding Judge Ana Teresa T. Cornejo-Tomacruz, Branch 157, Regional Trial Court, Pasig City; Presiding Judge Kirby G. Javier, Branch 166, Metropolitan Trial Court, Pasay City; Presiding Judge Mark Anthony D. Polonan, Branch 8, Municipal Trial Court in Cities, Iloilo City; Deputy Clerk of Court and Judicial Reform Program Administrator Atty. Laura C.H. Del Rosario; and SC Office of the Chief of Service Senior Chief Staff Officer Atty. Antonio Y. Ocampo, Jr., Procurement Management Services.
Since the rollout of the revised GST in Baguio last March—followed by sessions in Albay and now Bohol—over 450 court employees have been trained. This milestone, under the SPJI, highlights the SC’s strong and sustained commitment to building a Judiciary that is both inclusive and compassionate.
Other SC gender-related initiatives include: (1) the HerStory: Gender Award of Distinction, honoring inspiring stories of female justices; (2) the Legal Feminism Study, which reviewed how courts apply gender-responsive laws; (3) the Guidelines on the Use of Gender-Fair Language in the Judiciary, Gender-Fair Courtroom Etiquette, and the Victim-Sensitive Guidelines, which are now mandatory in all courts; and (4) the development of additional materials on managing women in conflict with the law, writing gender-sensitive decisions, and promoting gender mobility in the Judiciary.
For more information, please refer to the official press releases on the launch of the Gender Sensitivity Training for Court Personnel and succeeding SC GST training SC Holds Second Gender Sensitivity Training for Albay Courts. (Press release courtesy of the SC Office of the Spokesperson)
Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez (seated, center), Co-Chairperson of the SC Committee on Gender Responsiveness in the Judiciary (CGRJ), during the Gender Sensitivity Training (GST) for the Judiciary held on July 31, 2025 at the Modala Beach Resort in Panglao, Bohol. With him are (seated, from left): SC Office of the Chief of Service Senior Chief Staff Officer Atty. Antonio Y. Ocampo, Jr., Procurement Management Services; Presiding Judge Ana Lesa S. Radaza, Branch 9, Municipal Circuit Trial Court, Bato-Matalom, Leyte; Presiding Judge Ana Teresa T. Cornejo-Tomacruz, Branch 157, Regional Trial Court (RTC), Pasig City; Atty. Laura C.H. Del Rosario, Deputy Clerk of Court and Judicial Reform Program Administrator, SC Program Management Office; Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Maria Theresa V. Mendoza-Arcega; Presiding Judge Maria Belinda C. Rama, Branch 14, RTC, Malolos City, Bulacan; Presiding Judge Ester M. Veloso, Branch 6, RTC, Cebu City; Presiding Judge Mark Anthony D. Polonan, Branch 8, Municipal Trial Court in Cities, Iloilo City; and Presiding Judge Kirby G. Javier, Branch 166, Metropolitan Trial Court, Pasay City. Joining them are members of the CGRJ Secretariat and GST participants. (Photo courtesy of the SC CGRJ Secretariat)
Originally published by the Supreme Court Public Information Office.
