In preparation for the CY 2021 National Women’s Month Celebration (NWMC) with a theme “We Make Change Work for Women: Juana Laban sa Pandemya: Kaya!”, the Regional Gender and Development Committee (RGADC) XII conducted its 1st Quarter Meeting via zoom video conference recently.

RGADC XII Chairperson/ DILG XII Regional Director, Josephine Cabrido- Leysa, CESO III, highlighted a quote from Purnina Mane which states, “A world full of empowered women isn’t one where men are marginalized. It’s a world where everyone thrives.”

She then urged unity among men and women members to work together harmoniously to fully eliminate any kind of prevailing gender biases and discriminations in Region XII.

As part of its advocacy, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) advocated “Purple Mondays” by wearing violet or purple shirts/ blouses each Monday of March to show support to the 2021 NWMC. This initiative is part of the activities of the RGADC XII for the month of March 2021.

The fifty- two (52) GAD advocates composed of forty- four (44) women and eight (8) men representing thirty-four (34) member- regional offices/ institutions and provincial governments had fruitfully discussed significant matters relative to the strengthening of GAD mechanisms focusing on mainstreaming efforts of the regional bureaucracy.

Some of the significant agreements during the meeting are the: (a) Creation of the screening committee for the Regional GAD Resource Pool (RGRP); (b) approval of the Guidelines on the Certification of RGRP; (c) Mechanics for the Search of Gender- Responsive and Gender- Sensitive Government Entities (Agency, Institution, or LGU) in Region 12; and (d) Establishment of Prime Government Regional Center (PGRC) as Regional GAD Zone.

Further, the committee was able to pass and approved the following resolutions: (a) Establishment of Prime Government Regional Center (PGRC) as Regional GAD Zone; (b) Creation of the screening committee for the Regional GAD Resource Pool (RGRP); and (c) Resolution enjoining the RLAs, SUCs, HEIs, GOCCs and other government instrumentalities; and LGUs to use GMEF and GERL tool (guide in assessing the levels of GAD mainstreaming), respectively.

The meeting was capped with the approval of the timeline on the certification process of Regional GAD Resource Pool to generate GAD experts in Region XII by July 2021, the results of which will then be launched by the Screening Committee. The deadline of acceptance of application has been set on March 8, in time with the Women’s Month Celebration’s Kick-off Ceremony.