Fostering Gender Sensitivity: Awareness and Perceptions Among Police Officers of the Police Training Center, Cordillera Administrative Region

This study explored the level of gender sensitivity and equality awareness among police recruits at the Police Training Center Cordillera Administrative Region (PTC-CAR) in Baguio City, Philippines. Grounded in institutional theory, the research aimed to assess recruits’ awareness across five dimensions—awareness and knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, policy and legal frameworks, communication, and access and opportunities—and to evaluate the perceived importance, effectiveness, and institutional implementation of gender sensitivity in their training experience. Using a descriptive-quantitative research design, the study gathered data through a structured survey questionnaire administered to police recruits currently enrolled at PTC-CAR. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, and findings were interpreted using institutional perspectives on cognitive, normative, and regulative processes. The results showed generally high levels of gender awareness, especially in the cognitive and attitudinal domains. However, gaps were noted in the institutional application of gender policies and access to gender-sensitive opportunities. Recruits acknowledged the relevance of gender sensitivity to their professional development but also highlighted the need for more visible, culturally grounded, and practically applied training methods. From the analysis emerged ten key influencing factors and ten curriculum enhancement recommendations designed to deepen internalization, strengthen institutional accountability, and embed gender sensitivity into the culture of police training. The study concludes that sustainable gender responsiveness in policing requires not only policy compliance but also continuous engagement, leadership modeling, peer influence, and curriculum reform. The findings offer implications for police education, institutional legitimacy, and future reforms in gender mainstreaming within security training institutions.