Text by Charmaine A. Lingdas
Photos by Sarah Hazel Moces S. Pulumbarit
The University of the Philippines Manila has designated Prof. Mary Dorothy Jose as the new Director of the Center for Gender and Women Studies (CGWS) on October 1, 2025.
The CGWS serves as the university’s focal office for gender mainstreaming and women’s empowerment programs, ensuring alignment with national laws and university mandates on gender and development. Prof. Jose is expected to oversee the Center’s continuing initiatives in promoting gender sensitivity, equity, and inclusivity within UP Manila and its partner communities.
Before her appointment to the CGWS, Dr. Jose has championed gender equality within and beyond the University. She has held several key administrative positions in the College of Arts and Sciences and has been deeply involved in programs and committees that advance gender awareness, women’s empowerment, and inclusive education. Through her leadership, she has helped institutionalize gender studies as a vital part of UP Manila’s academic and advocacy landscape.
Her extensive body of work includes research published in reputable journals and academic books, which reflects her commitment to enriching the discourse on Philippine history and women’s studies. Central to her research is the representation of Filipino women and the power dynamics that shape their narratives, a perspective that continues to inspire inclusive and feminist scholarship in the country.
Her excellence as an educator, researcher, and gender advocate has earned her multiple distinctions, including the Gender Advocate Award from the UP Manila CGWS (2013 & 2014), the Empowering Network for International Thai and ASEAN Studies (ENITAS) Research Award from Chulalongkorn University (2016), the Research Fellowship for Southeast Asian Scholars from the University of Michigan (2018), the UP Diliman College of Social Sciences and Philosophy Distinguished Alumni Award for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (2023), and the National University of Singapore (NUS) Fellows Programme for Southeast Asia (2024).#
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