A vital seminar-workshop focusing on gender equality in disaster preparedness and response was held last February 15, 2025, at Brgy Gawisan Maasin City. The activity entitled Elevating Advocacy and Gender Awareness for Lasting Equity (EAGLE) was participated in by the barangay councils of Gawisan and Lunas. Organized by the Social Work Department in partnership with the CDRRM Office of Maasin City, the event brought together experts, community leaders, and concerned citizens to address the critical need for gender-sensitive approaches to disaster management.

The workshop emphasized the full participation of individuals regardless of gender. The seminar also addressed the importance of recognizing women as vulnerable individuals and powerful agents of change. Speakers emphasized the need to build on women's existing strengths and leadership roles in their communities.

The organizers of the workshop hope that the discussions and insights gained will lead to concrete actions that promote gender equality in disaster management. Future goals include the creation of gender-sensitive disaster response plans and the implementation of training programs for community leaders and emergency responders.

This event served as a powerful reminder that building resilient communities requires a commitment to gender equality. By empowering and ensuring their full participation, we can create safer and more equitable communities for all.

 On February 12, 2025, the Peer Facilitator Organization held a seminar titled "True Love Waits" at SLSU Maasin Campus AVR. The event commenced with opening remarks by Admin Officer V, Ms. Madonna Grace Jacobe, who warmly welcomed the participants and set the tone for the seminar. Following her welcome, Ms. Colina Escoro Mercado, RGC, RPM, emphasized the purpose of the seminar, highlighting its goals of educating students on healthy relationships and emotional well-being. She explained that the seminar aimed to raise awareness about the importance of making informed decisions regarding early relationships, while also fostering an environment of peer support and mutual understanding.

The seminar featured a key presentation by Resource Speaker Ptr. Francisco Y. Mallorca Jr., RSW, who addressed the participants on the significance of sexual abstinence and commitment to sexual purity, particularly in the context of marriage. He articulated the core objectives of the seminar, which included encouraging participants to make a commitment to sexual abstinence until marriage, adhering to Bible-based standards on sexuality, and embracing a lifestyle of sexual purity.

In addition to discussing the purpose of the seminar, Ptr. Mallorca took the opportunity to delve deeper into the different types of love. He explained the concepts of Storge, Eros, Phileo, and Agape love, providing a comprehensive understanding of how each type manifests in relationships. He emphasized that understanding these forms of love is crucial for building a healthy and respectful relationship based on mutual care, understanding, and trust.

A central theme of Ptr. Mallorca's message was the importance of recognizing God's plan for marriage. He underscored that marriage, as an institution ordained by God, is designed to reflect love, commitment, and faithfulness, offering guidance to the participants on how to align their relationship goals with biblical principles.

The event concluded with closing remarks by Ms. Trisha Mae Liagas, RSW, a Social Work faculty member, who expressed her gratitude to all attendees and speaker for their active participation. She also encouraged students to take the lessons shared during the seminar to heart, and to continue fostering healthy relationships grounded in respect, love, and faith.

The "True Love Waits" seminar proved to be an informative and impactful event, leaving participants with valuable insights on building meaningful and lasting relationships.

On February 7, 2025, Southern Leyte State University - Maasin City Campus (SLSU-Maasin) successfully conducted the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) Signing Ceremony with Host Training Establishments (HTE). The event commenced at 9:00 AM at the SLSU-Maasin Campus, bringing together key institutional stakeholders to formalize their commitment to providing students with valuable industry experience.

The ceremony began with a welcome address delivered by Ms. Juvenal F. Sumaya, who emphasized the importance of academic-industry partnerships in enhancing students' professional growth. Following the opening remarks, the Host Training Establishments (HTE) were introduced, allowing the audience to recognize the various partner organizations contributing to the university’s internship program. Ms. Karina G. Gutierrez then presented the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to the Host Training Establishment (HTE), elaborating on its purpose and significance. She detailed the specific roles and responsibilities of the parties involved:
Responsibilities/Obligations of the 1st Party (SLSU-Maasin): Ensuring the proper coordination and facilitation of student internships, providing guidance, and monitoring student progress.
Responsibilities/Obligations of the 2nd Party (HTE): Providing hands-on training, mentorship, and industry exposure to students in line with their academic curriculum.

After the presentation, the Host Training Establishments formally signed the MOA, solidifying their partnership with SLSU-Maasin. This was followed by messages of commitment from key stakeholders, including the DILG project manager, Ms. Maria Imelda A. Orilla, and the provincial government office representative, Atty. Ma. Florence N. Pogoy, TESDA Mr. Harris Z. Aguilando, and PNP Maasin PLT Chelo A. Cortina supported the initiative, emphasizing its alignment with workforce development goals.

To conclude the event, Campus Dean Mr. Magdaleno T. Samaco delivered the closing remarks, expressing gratitude to all participants for their unwavering support. He emphasized that the MOA marks the beginning of a long-term partnership to produce highly competent and industry-ready graduates.

The successful MOA signing ceremony between SLSU-Maasin and the host training establishments marked a solid partnership that will benefit students, instructors, and business partners. The institution is eager to maintain this collaboration and refine its internship programs to improve student learning and career readiness.

SLSU-Maasin sincerely thanks all Host Training Establishments, government agencies, and institutional partners who contributed to this meaningful event. The university remains committed to providing high-quality education through industry collaboration and hands-on training opportunities.

On February 7, 2025, a whole-day activity titled ‘Workshop on Intellectual Property, Patent Search, and Drafting for Research Methods Students Across SLSU Campuses’ was held at the SLSU-MCC. The event was attended by the third-year students from the Department of Social Work and Public Administration. The program started at 8:40 AM, followed by the introductory part, where Dr. Jonathan Palco, RIES Head, gave an inspirational message highlighting that the best way to predict the future is to create it and that intellectual property is a product of intellect and knowledge that inspires people, fosters innovation, promotes a safe environment, and builds legacy.

After the welcome message, the first topic ‘The Protection of Innovation: Why It Matters’ was discussed by the guest speaker Dr. Angel T. Sabusap. He shared his thoughts and insightful words about what constitutes intellectual property (IPs), the importance of IP management, and its benefits. The second topic ‘Introduction to Intellectual Property System: What Can Be Patented?’ was discussed by Ms. Rio Katrina C. Avila. She discussed the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, best practices for IP protection, and the Intellectual Cycle from ideation to creation to protection and utilization. The afternoon session started at 1:00 PM with the continuation of the third topic ‘Patentable and Unpatentable Subject Matter’. Ms. Avila introduced the ‘Espacenet’ to the students and explained the steps for conducting a patent search. She also spoke informatively about the reasons for conducting a patent search. The last topic ‘Invention Spotting’ was presented by Mr. Sabusap, who shared information about the parts of a patent document namely preamble, transitional phrase, and body, and claim drafting strategies.

The activity was a remarkable one, as students encountered new ideas and knowledge, making them more innovative and creative. The program concluded with the distribution of certificates and a photo session. The Campus Dean, Dr. Magdaleno T. Samaco Jr., gave his warm closing remarks and acknowledged the participants and guest speakers.