TALKING ABOUT GAD. NEDA Region 4-A Director and Calabarzon Regional Gender and Development Council (RGADC) Chairperson Luis G. Banua (center) answers questions from the media at the Bayleaf Hotel, General Trias City on Wednesday (September 4, 2019). Other panelists at the opening of the three-day 8th Calabarzon RGADC Convention are (from left to right) Philippine Commission on Women Director Maria Kristine Josefina G. Balmes, NEDA Undersecretary Jose Miguel R. Dela Rosa, Cavite State University president Dr. Hernando Robles and Cavite province's Gender and Development Focal Person Irene Bencito. (PNA photo by Gladys S. Pino)
GENERAL TRIAS, Cavite -- The proposed Executive Order (EO) for the creation of a Gender and Development (GAD) unit in all government agencies is still under review by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), an official of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) said on Wednesday.
PCW Director Maria Kristine Josefina G. Balmes, one of the panelists during a press conference held at Bayleaf Hotel here, answered when asked about the status of the initial plans to make GAD a regular unit in government agencies.
Currently, all government departments including their attached agencies, offices and bureaus; state universities and colleges; government-owned and -controlled corporations; local government units; and all other government instrumentalities have established their GAD Focal Point System (GFPS), pursuant to Section 36 of Republic Act 9710, otherwise known as the Magna Carta on Women.
But those assigned under the GFPS are personnel with different job titles and with corresponding responsibilities, thus the PCW reportorial requirements are considered extra work.
"Naiintindihan namin na kung iba ang trabaho nyo, hindi talaga kaya, paggagawa pa lang ng GAD plans and budget (We do understand that you have other work to do, the extra load is a burden, especially in creating your GAD plans and budget)," Balmes said.
The proposed EO is meant to ensure that the GAD programs are not merely monitored closely, but sustained. "But it (EO) is still being reviewed by the DBM," she said.
Balmes added that the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is also coming up with a department order for local government units (LGUs), specifically those categorized as first, second class municipalities and highly-urbanized localities, cities which can create their own GAD units, "subject to specified conditions, limitations under the law.
The press conference was among the side activities during the opening day of the three-day Regional Gender and Development Council (RGADC) convention which will run until Friday.
Other panelists include National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Region 4-A director and Calabarzon RGADC chairperson Luis G. Banua, NEDA Undersecretary Jose Miguel R. dela Rosa, Cavite State University president Dr. Hernando Robles and Cavite province's GAD focal person Irene Bencito. (PNA)
