The Founding of the Women’s Studies Association of the Philippines (WSAP)

WSAP  was  organized  in  1987  by  the  same  group  of  feminist  educators  who spearheaded the introduction of Women’s Studies courses and programmes in the six  universities  in  Manila, University  of  the  Philippines,  Miriam College, St. Scholastica’s College, Philippine Normal University, Ateneo de Manila University, and the Philippine Women’s University. It  was  first  called  the  Women’s  Studies  Consortium and  later  assumed  the  name  WSAP  when  the  group  expanded  into  a  national organization  in  1992.

The  Consortium  pursued  the  following  objectives: (a)  to evolve a feminist orientation in Women’s Studies; (b) to introduce Women’s Studies Programs  in  the  formal  education  system;  and  (3)  to  develop  curriculum materials and a resource base on Women’s Studies.

The former president of WSAP,  Aurora de Dios, described the first year of the organization in the following manner:

When  the  Women’s  Studies  Consortium  started  out  as  an  informal group of women educators in 1987, we were fired with the fervor and enthusiasm of new converts to the cause.  Representative faculty (from six  Metro  Manila  schools)  met  to  compare  their  experiences  in introducing women’s studies in their respective schools.  Many more meetings were held round robin style shifting from (one school to the other)  in  the  Manila  area,  then  to  Quezon  City  based  schools  to discuss current trends in women’s studies, to develop syllabi, to listen to resource speakers on various topics on women and mobilize each others constituencies for concerted action on varied women’s issues .Four years after that first consultation, much of the enthusiasm and verve  have  now  been  firmed  up  into  impassioned  commitments...(1992:7)

Since  its  founding,  the  Association  has  sponsored  several  regional  and  national conferences,  teachers  training  courses  and  curriculum development  workshops. Some  members  have  developed  model  “gender-sensitive”  syllabi  for  basic  introductory  college  courses  in  economics,  history,  literature  and  environment. WSAP  has  also  played  an  active  role  in  campus  campaigns  against  sexual harassment and other female student and faculty issues.  It remains committed to feminist scholarship “which seeks ... to correct (the anti women) bias in academic disciplines by uncovering the hidden assumptions about men and women that have shaped the content and methodology of education itself” (De Dios, 1992).  Among the  themes  covered  in  national  conferences  have  been  gender  and  power,  the invisibility of women in historical narratives, the role of women in peace building, as well as gender and globalization.

Source: UNESCO Office Bangkok and Regional Bureau for Education in Asia and the Pacific. Regional Unit for Social and Human Sciences in Asia and the Pacific. (2004). Women's/gender studies in Asia-Pacific. Bangkok: UNESCO Bangkok.

Read more here: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000136213

Page 100 - 124 The Philippines written by Prof. Carolyn Israel-Sobritchea, University of the Philippines