The University Student Council of Holy Angel University (HAU-USC) and Bahaghari Holy Angel University expressed their dismay in line with the discriminatory acts done by an officer of the university’s Office of Student Affairs (OSA) to an Angelite who is part of the LGBTQIA+ Community.
Marga Ocampo, a School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (SHTM) student, was among the students whose IDs were initially taken by the security guard upon entering the university premises due to non-compliance with the school uniform.
In her now-deleted Facebook post last Friday, when she went to OSA to retrieve her ID, she was interrogated by an officer regarding her hair, which was considered a violation against the standard haircut for males as per the university’s handbook.
However, it later escalated to discrimination as the OSA officer was probing about her gender and the sex indicated on her birth certificate.
In line with this, HAU-USC through their official Facebook page stated that they condemn any forms of discrimination and remain firm in their stand on ensuring and providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students.
“In response to recent events circulating online involving an Angelite who experienced discrimination within the Office of the Student Affairs, we, the University Student Council, want to reiterate our firm stance against such discriminatory actions,” says the council.
Furthermore, the council believes that such behavior should have no place in the university, and this occurrence of violation against gender sensitivity is unethical and intolerable as it inhibits the university’s progression towards individual self-expression.
Bahaghari Holy Angel University also posted an official statement in their Facebook page, condemning the treatment of the OSA officer to the student that belongs to the LGBTQ+ community.
“It is with great dismay that an incident like this happened again, as it goes against the principles of human rights and should be at the core of any educational institution – upholding the importance of diversity, inclusivity, and the right to self-expression,” Bahaghari-HAU exclaimed.
Moreover, they also stated that even with the existence of the Gender-Responsive Basic Education Policy, or DepEd Order No. 32, s. 2017, and CHED Memorandum No. 01, s. 2015, or Establishing the Policies and Guidelines on Gender and Development (GAD), the university still fails to comply with such policies.
The HAU-USC and members of Bahaghari asserted that they are committed to ensuring that all members of the university community are respected and treated equally and with dignity.
As of this writing, The Angelite is presently in contact with Ms. Ocampo and is waiting for her response to the publication’s inquiry.
This is a developing story.
News by Clare Patrice Sanchez
Layout by Winston Adam Lejarde
