The seemingly lack of support for Filipino women in sports essentially came from the lack of opportunity being given to them, which has led to the founding of the SWEEP program or the Sport for Women’s Empowerment and Employment in the Philippines.
With a coinciding conference held March 8, 2014, at the Philippine Women’s University (PWU), led by Dr. Sarah Hillyer and Dr. Ashleigh Huffman from the University of Tennessee Center for Sport, Peace, and Society, Ms. Akiko Thomson-Guevara, president of the Philippine Olympians Association, and Ms. Marielle Benitez, national football player and coach, a series of talks educated the audience on the current status and importance of getting Filipino women into sports, whether for passion or profession.
For more information on SWEEP, click here.
Women in Sports Symposium March 8-10, 2014
Women’s and girl’s participation in sports has become an important social and economic tool for empowerment and for challenging gender stereotypes. Aside from the health benefits, girls who stay in sports have better self-esteem, are likely to graduate college and have more success in life.
In celebration of Women’s Month, the Sport Management Council of the Philippines, together with the Philippine Women’s University (PWU) cordially invite you to attend the seminar-symposium Go for S.W.E.E.P.! – or Sport for Women’s Empowerment and Employment Program on Saturday, March 08, 2014 at the Conrado Benitez Hall of PWU.
Recognizing the challenges in promoting women’s sports participation, this half-day seminar-symposium S.W.E.E.P. is beneficial for P.E. teachers, athletes, coaches and sports leaders, men or women. The learning objectives are:
- Educate the audience and provide research evidence on the benefits of participation
- Discuss health considerations of women athletes
- Propose plans of action or strategies for 1) improving women’s sports participation in schools and communities, 2) increasing opportunities for more women to assume positions in sports.
We are fortunate to have as our keynote speakers Dr. Sarah Hillyer and Dr. Ashleigh Huffman, founders of the Center for Sport, Peace and Society of the University Tennessee – an organization dedicated to empowering individuals and supporting community development in some of the most underserved and volatile regions of the world – and whose program, the Global Sports Mentoring Program for Women in Sports,was ranked as one of the top 10 most influential diplomatic programs in the world by the Public Diplomacy Council.
Representing the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is Hon. Akiko Thomson Guevarra who will speak on the government’s role and initiatives in promoting women sports participation in the country. We have also invited guests from the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), the academe, and distinguished women athletes to make this event a truly inclusive occasion.
This event is sponsored by: the Philippine Women’s University in cooperation with the WNCAA, WCSA and Jeunesse. [Note: with CHED endorsement]
Seminar-Symposium Outline:
8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Registration
8:30 a.m. – 8:40 a.m. – Invocation and Flag Ceremony
8:40 a.m. – 8:50 a.m. – Opening Remarks: Dr. Jose Francisco B. Benitez, University President, PWU
8:50 a.m. – 9:05 a.m. – Welcome Remarks by SWEEP Proponent: Geraldine Bernardo, Founder, Sport Management Council of the Philippines
9:05 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. – Keynote Lecture on Gender Empowerment through Sports: Dr. Sarah Hillyer, Professor, Center for Sports, Peace and Society – University of Tennessee
9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – Break
10:00 a.m. – 10:40 a.m. – Keynote Lecture on Service Learning as a Teaching Tool for Community Engagement: Dr. Ashleigh Huffman, Professor, Center for Sports, Peace and Society – University of Tennessee
10:40 a.m. – 11:10 a.m. – Sports Nutrition and Women’s Health: Dr. Leonora Panlasigui, Dean, PWU School of Nutrition
11:10 am. – 11:45 a.m. – Programs and Initiatives on Women Sports Participation in the Philippines: An Athlete’s Perspective, Hon. Akiko Thomson Guevarra, Commissioner, PSC Olympian, Swimming; Marielle Graciela M. Benitez, Athletic Director, PWU Captain, Philippine Malditas
11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Panel Discussion / Q & A Awarding
