UST Hiraya

UST Hiraya Advocates of Anti-VAW, Mental Health, Gender Equity, Cultural Diversity all for the creation of Safe Spaces using the lens of Intersectional Feminism

For the ones who have been told to “be careful” instead of “be free,” who stay quiet to survive, who carry the weight of...
12/12/2025

For the ones who have been told to “be careful” instead of “be free,” who stay quiet to survive, who carry the weight of unspoken stories, and who learned to shrink themselves just to stay safe—this letter is for you.

As the 18-Day Campaign to End VAW comes to an end, we remind you that violence against women does not stop after 18 days, so neither will we. Your right to safety is not seasonal, and our commitment to protecting it is not temporary.

We will continue raising awareness. We will continue challenging harmful norms. We will continue creating safer spaces, louder conversations, and stronger support systems because we deserve a life where you don’t have to look over your shoulder, lower your voice, or hold your breath. And we will keep fighting until that life becomes our reality.





Content and Caption by: Cyrine Barro
Board by: Tatiana Dela Rosa

RSO-B-24-25-20
Posted with permission of the Adviser.

12/12/2025

Every woman carries a story of strength, struggle, and the ongoing fight to claim the right she deserves. ⚖️✨

As we near the end of our 18-day campaign against violence against women, we sit down with Thomasian advocates to hear what women’s rights truly mean to them. Their insights remind us that women’s rights are not abstract principles—they are lived experiences shaped by opportunity, dignity, and justice.

Join us as we listen, reflect, and let their words remind us why protecting women’s rights remains a fight we must all take part in. 💜





Caption by: Hanna Francine Espinosa
Video Edit by: Lance Cedric Campos

RSO-B-24-25-20
Posted with permission of the Adviser.

Women’s rights should never depend on silence, luck, or broken systems. They should be guaranteed—protected not only in ...
12/12/2025

Women’s rights should never depend on silence, luck, or broken systems. They should be guaranteed—protected not only in principle, but in every institution meant to serve them. ✊🏽💜

Behind every conversation on women’s rights is a reality we cannot ignore: inequity still exists, discrimination still persists, and too many women continue to carry the burden of broken systems. The Magna Carta of Women stands as a response to this—an instrument meant to correct structural injustice, protect the vulnerable, and ensure that equality is not just promised, but also practiced.

Learning this law is an act of empowerment. It is a reminder that women’s rights are non-negotiable, and that accountability must be demanded from those sworn to protect them. ✨
The fight for equality continues, and informed voices make it stronger. 💗





Caption by: Hanna Francine Espinosa
Board by: Anne Mesina

RSO-B-24-25-20
Posted with permission of the Adviser.

“Forgive and forget”… That’s what they always say, isn’t it? Especially those who were never there, who never felt the p...
10/12/2025

“Forgive and forget”… That’s what they always say, isn’t it? Especially those who were never there, who never felt the pain and the trauma to begin with.

But must survivors really be expected to forgive? Too often, we end up minimizing the experiences of victims in the name of pakikisama, creating an unjust acknowledgment of their pain.

In this essay, we explore the nuances of conforming to traditional societal expectations and why we must learn to move beyond them to be able to genuinely listen and honor the victim’s side of the story.





Content by: Halaena Sophia Santiago and Weena Ynnabelle Cajefe
Caption by: Sarah Michelle Luna
Board by: Darrel Guiane Carlos

RSO-B-24-25-20
Posted with permission of the Adviser.

🚨Know Your Rights. Speak Up. Get Support. 🚨Violence against women and their children is a public crime. Whether it occur...
09/12/2025

🚨Know Your Rights. Speak Up. Get Support. 🚨

Violence against women and their children is a public crime. Whether it occurs in the community or at the university, anyone who is directly affected or witnesses it has the right to report, seek protection, and access full support.

Reaching out can feel overwhelming, and many people choose to stay silent due to fear. That is valid. Not reporting does not make you weak; however, it is also important to know that help is available. When you are ready, there are offices and people ready to guide and support you safely and confidentially.

❌ Silence should not protect the perpetrator.
💪 Speaking up is not a sign of weakness—it’s reclaiming your power.

Speak up. Reach out. You are not alone—and you never have to face this by yourself. ✨💜





Content by: Larrah Ahbegeil Q. Sarcadio
Caption by: Larrah Ahbegeil Q. Sarcadio
Board by: Carolyn Paule Ventura

RSO-B-24-25-20
Posted with permission of the Adviser.

💫 Let's honor the spectrum of love that knows no limits. Happy Pans*xual and Panromantic Pride Day! 🏳️‍🌈🌟 Today, we cele...
08/12/2025

💫 Let's honor the spectrum of love that knows no limits. Happy Pans*xual and Panromantic Pride Day! 🏳️‍🌈🌟

Today, we celebrate the beauty of love that transcends gender norms and embraces people for who they truly are — beyond labels and boundaries. Pans*xual and panromantic identities emphasize that attraction can extend independently of gender, recognizing the full diversity of human experience. These identities challenge rigid gender categories and illustrate how attraction operates on a spectrum shaped by both personal meaning and social context.

This day is a reminder to uplift pans*xual voices, fight stigma, and foster a community of inclusivity, acceptance, and understanding.

Together, we stand proud as change-makers for love without limits.

Let’s continue to build a world where every identity is celebrated and respected.

*xualAndPanromanticDay



Caption by: Mary Josephine Jane Blanco and Kirsten Dane Malayas
Board by: Anne Mesina

RSO B-24-25-20
Posted with permission of the Adviser.

TW: Sexual violence, War-related abuseOn the 14th day of our campaign to end Violence against Women (VAW), we bring ligh...
08/12/2025

TW: Sexual violence, War-related abuse

On the 14th day of our campaign to end Violence against Women (VAW), we bring light to the stories of the Filipino comfort women, women who were forced into suffering, not comfort.

Their lives were marked by violence, silence, and injustices that history tried to bury. Today, we honor their truth and acknowledge the trauma they endured, while also amplifying the call to protect women and girls everywhere. May their stories remind us why the fight to end violence against women must continue, every day, with urgency and compassion.



Content by: Weena Cajefe, in collaboration with the Advocacy Research and Development Committee
Caption by: Weena Cajefe
Board by: Tatiana Dela Rosa

RSO-B-24-25-20
Posted with permission of the Adviser.

Womanhood must not be built on suffering, fear, survival, or misery. Being a woman must not feel like a punishment, bein...
06/12/2025

Womanhood must not be built on suffering, fear, survival, or misery.

Being a woman must not feel like a punishment, being a target of cruelty and oppression for a lifetime.

“Be strong,” they say. But women are more than just victims and survivors. Being a woman should not mean learning to live with violence, then putting on a smile through it.

It is about time we learn to break this cycle, end this system that has trained women to normalize and tolerate disrespect. Women have voices of their own, and the power to demand redefining their own identities. ❤️‍🩹





Content by: Halaena Sophia Santiago
Caption by: Halaena Sophia Santiago
Board by: Darrel Guiane Carlos

RSO-B-24-25-20
Posted with permission of the Adviser.

Babae kase, kaya ano? Nakaririnding pauli-ulit na nilalagay ang kababaihan sa kahon na para bang hindi sila pwedeng magk...
05/12/2025

Babae kase, kaya ano?

Nakaririnding pauli-ulit na nilalagay ang kababaihan sa kahon na para bang hindi sila pwedeng magkaroon ng sariling pagkakakilanlan.

This box that they’ve built through time suffocates us women into thinking that we are just “pabigat” in the society and reduced to a second s*x because of double standards.

So what if we rewrite the narrative?

Hindi ito laban sa kung sino ang mas lamang, kundi paraan para itaguyod ang kababaihan at baguhin ang “Babae kase...” narrative. This is about understanding what truly makes a woman, not based on her gender, but on who they really are and what they can bring to the world.





Caption by: Committee Director for AVAW
Board by: Carolyn Paule Ventura

RSO-B-24-25-20
Posted with permission of the Adviser.

In a woman’s everyday experience, it’s almost impossible not to encounter phrases that reflect internalized misogyny.The...
04/12/2025

In a woman’s everyday experience, it’s almost impossible not to encounter phrases that reflect internalized misogyny.

These phrases, though often dismissed as harmless, actually hurt women and can reinforce harmful beliefs and behaviors.

Microaggressions shouldn’t be ignored just to avoid offending the person who expresses them. It is necessary to call them out so that we can build a society that respects women even in the most ordinary, everyday spaces. 💗





Content by: Weena Ynnabelle Cajefe
Caption by: Sarah Michelle Luna
Board by: Marian Villanueva

RSO-B-24-25-20
Posted with permission of the Adviser.

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