The Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) urged its personnel to report sexual harassment and uphold professional boundaries during a seminar on the Safe Spaces Act and Sexual Harassment Prevention on September 25, 2026, at the CLPC Hall, Mini Convention Center, Sumacab Campus.
Organized by the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) as part of the University’s observance of the 126th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary, the activity aimed to promote dignity, respect, and gender sensitivity while helping protect faculty, staff, and students from harassment and discrimination.
In her message, Dr. Feliciana Jacoba, NEUST Vice President for Academic Affairs, emphasized the importance of understanding how to respond to harassment and where to seek protection and assistance.
“Our aim is for NEUST to become one of the safest universities in the Philippines and in the world,” Dr. Jacoba said.
The seminar brought together teaching and non-teaching personnel, including job order employees, for a lecture and open forum on sexual harassment, complaint procedures, and related legal matters.
Guest speaker Atty. James Lee Cundangan, Assistant Solicitor General at the Office of the Solicitor General, discussed the consequences of sexual harassment and the responsibilities of university employees in their dealings with students and colleagues.
He warned that proven misconduct could result in serious administrative sanctions, including dismissal, and stressed that an employee’s rank or length of service should not shield them from accountability.
Atty. Cundangan also drew attention to unreported incidents and encouraged personnel who experience harassment to seek assistance from the Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI).
He called for timely investigations that protect confidentiality and observe due process, emphasizing the need to address complaints while safeguarding the rights of all parties involved.
To encourage reporting, he reiterated his recommendation for a dedicated online channel through which complainants could raise harassment concerns confidentially.
During the open forum, participants asked about complaint procedures, evidence, anonymous complaints, and appropriate boundaries between faculty members and students, bringing the discussion closer to situations university personnel may encounter in their work.
In her closing remarks, Dr. Jean Guillasper, NEUST Vice President for Research, Extension, and Training, emphasized that maintaining a safe and respectful environment is a shared responsibility.
“The real measure of this seminar is not what we learn today but what we do with what we learn,” Dr. Guillasper said.
She urged participants to speak up when they witness inappropriate behavior, support those who come forward, respect personal boundaries, and hold themselves and others accountable.
The seminar formed part of NEUST’s efforts to translate the values of its Civil Service Anniversary observance into daily campus practice by helping personnel address harassment concerns and uphold the dignity of colleagues, students, and the community they serve.
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