DILG urges LGUs to localize Magna Carta of Women

Press Release
April 2, 2014

MANILA – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has urged all local government units (LGUs) to ensure that the principles of Republic Act 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women (MCW), which is considered as the “Bill of Rights” of Filipino women, are mainstreamed at the local level.

DILG Undersecretary for Local Government Austere Panadero, who is also the concurrent Gender and Development Focal Point (GAD-FP) Chairperson of the Department, said all LGUs must comply with the requirements of the said law through the creation of an enabling environment that will promote women’s empowerment, gender equality and ensure gender responsive governance at the local level.

This after the DILG, Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) recently issued a joint Memorandum Circular to all provincial governors, city and municipal mayors, punong barangays, members of the local sanggunians, DILG Regional Directors, and all other concerned on the guidelines on the localization of the Magna Carta of Women.

“The MCW provides that local governments are tasked to promote and ensure that GAD is mainstreamed in the local policy-making, planning, programming, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation,” Panadero said.

Under the joint memo circular, the local chief executives are directed to ensure that their GAD Focal Point System or similar GAD mechanisms are in place, fully-functional and its members have the capacity to promote gender mainstreaming pursuant to Sec. 37 of the MCW Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).

Panadero said the DILG, through its Bureau of Local Government Development (BLGD), will conduct a series of training programs on gender mainstreaming for DILG Provincial GAD coordinators and Provincial Grassroot Budgeting Focal Persons all over the country from April to May, this year.

He said the workshops in six batches (three in Luzon, one in Visayas, and two clusters in Mindanao) will enable the participants to coach and mentor LGUs on their implementation and compliance to MCW on the following mechanisms: 1) preparation of GAD plan and budget, monitoring and evaluation system; 2) formulation of GAD Code; 3) establishment of GAD database; 4) creation and/or strengthening of the GAD Focal Point; and 5) mainstreaming gender in local development plans.

The 1st batch of participants will be from Regions 6, 7 and 8 to be held in Cebu City on April 22-24, 2014; 2nd batch from Regions 9, 11 and ARMM in Davao City on April 28-30, 2014; and 3rd batch from Regions 10, 11, 12, and 13 to be held in General Santos City on May 6-8, 2014.

Likewise, the training of the 4th batch from Regions 4A and NCR will be held in Metro Manila on May 13-15, 2014; 5th batch composed Regions 4B and 5 will also be held in Metro Manila on May 20-24, 2014; and lastly, the 6th batch from Regions 1, 2, 3 and CAR to be held in Baguio City on May 27-29, 2014.