GADvocates seminar marks UCU World Teachers’ Day 2025 celebration

Urdaneta City University marked World Teachers’ Day 2025 with the “GADvocates: Empowering Educators, Strengthening Resilience, Building Sustainability” seminar for faculty, staff, and students on October 6, 2025 held in the University Gymnasium.

In his welcome remarks, UCU Chief Operating Officer Atty. Dar A. Diga said that these seminars are reinforcements in response to the advocacy against sexual harassment, pressing on how educators should act both personally and professionally.

Prof. Ma. Leonora Bustria-Muhammad, a faculty member from the College of Human Sciences, led an overview of the Safe Spaces Act, clarifying protections, responsibilities, and campus protocols to ensure learning environments free from gender-based harassment.

Prof. Romeo M. Capudoy II, a faculty member from the College of Criminal Justice Education, delivered the topic “STRIKTONG PATNUBAY AT GABAY: Teacher’s Role Against Sexual Harassment in Educational Institutions.”

He emphasized the vital role of teachers in prevention and response, underscored awareness, accountability, and education, and linked these efforts to a resilient and sustainable learning ecosystem for students and staff.

Dr. Beverly Fernandez, a Guidance Counselor from Pangasinan State University - Lingayen Campus, discussed “Self-Mentoring: Becoming Your Best Mentor,” framing growth around the pillars of body, mind, and spirit.

She highlighted the core idea, “You are your own belief,” which she explained as the notion that outcomes in life follow what one chooses to believe—“ibig sabihin, lahat ng iyan ay nangyayari sa buhay mo, dahil sa pinapaniwalaan mo.”

The seminar tied legal literacy, ethical practice, and personal development into a unified call for safer classrooms, stronger support systems, and a culture that sustains well-being and excellence.#