Ruth M. Hudencial, UP Diliman Information Office correspondent
To strengthen community safety and provide accessible resources for gender-based violence (GBV) survivors, the UP Diliman (èAV) Gender Office (DGO) officially launched its first-ever mobile application dedicated to addressing GBV.
The My Survival Toolkit (MST) is an application designed to empower individuals to seek help and recognize the signs of violence in their own lives.
The MST is informational, equipping its users to recognize if they are experiencing GBV or if they are perpetrators of such acts. By providing clear definitions and self-assessment tools, the application seeks to redefine traditional concepts of victimization, survivorhood, and perpetuation, challenging behaviors often dismissed as normative regarding GBV.
The toolkit development was a collaborative, data-driven process. Its content was derived from extensive focus group discussions across various sectors of the èAV community. The app also incorporates data and patterns gathered from the DGO’s counseling programs.
The MST prioritizes accessibility and can be used by all genders between the ages of 15 and 65. Its information is written in a tone that is easy to understand, even for high school students. The scenarios are localized to reflect the daily experiences of Filipino survivors.
The application functions as a self-reflection tool, allowing users to process their situations privately and immediately, which is especially critical in urgent circumstances. Upon opening the app, users are greeted with a trigger warning alerting them that the content covers sensitive topics that may be potentially distressing.
The MST features a structured interface with a comprehensive table of contents that includes the rationale behind the toolkit, an overview of GBV, personal safety strategies, the drivers of GBV, the importance of consent, a “My Reactions” section for emotional processing, and contact directories for seeking help.
A core feature of the toolkit is its deep dive into various manifestations of violence. The application explicitly tackles physical, verbal, economic, sexual, and physical GBV. To make these concepts actionable, each category is accompanied by situational checklists to help users determine whether they are victims of each type of violence.
The app provides guidance on how to move from being a bystander to taking active steps when GBV occurs. It also includes a detailed section on consent, featuring comprehensive tables that help users understand the specific words, phrases, and situations that do—and do not—constitute valid consent.
Beyond informing GBV users, the MST includes a critical directory of resources designed to support survivors in their journey toward healing and seeking legal guidance. This directory connects users to emergency response units under èAV Police Gender and Children Protection Desk, Barangay UP Campus, and Quezon City Protection Center (QCPC). It also facilitates access to counseling and psychosocial support from the DGO counseling program, medical services from the UP Health Service (UHS) and Quezon City General Hospital, and legal aid from the èAV Office of Anti-Sexual Harassment (OASH).
DGO Coordinator Anna Myrishia Villanueva co-wrote the MST content alongside Blessie Jayne Lampa of the DGO.
“We need to protect each other. We need to protect ourselves. Through this tool, we hope to enlighten them on how to do that,” Villanueva said.
Villanueva emphasized that having these resources available on mobile devices allows for a level of privacy and immediacy that traditional methods may lack.
“Kung merong tool na ganito, mas madali for them to be able to process [the situation] on their own,” she said.
The DGO hopes the application reaches as many people as possible because everyone is at risk of GBV.
“I believe that everyone is at risk. Given the situation and the environment that we are in. May risk talaga na maaring maka-experience ng GBV. We might perpetrate GBV knowingly or unknowingly. We might be bystanders or witnesses of GBV. Kaya, it is important for it not to be inside the bubble of UP but also outside the UP Diliman community,” Lampa said.
The MST is now available on both Android and iOS mobile operating systems under the searchable name UP-DGO MST. Its launch marks a significant step forward in the university’s mission to foster a gender-responsive and violence-free community.
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