In order to determine the progress of agencies in gender mainstreaming, the “Gender Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework” was developed by the Philippine Commission on Women as a tool to guide agencies/organizations to acquire a holistic view of the gender mainstreaming process. It is a framework that shows how far agencies have moved forward, stepped backward, or remained basically in the same stage as they went about their mainstreaming work. The goal of gender mainstreaming is to ensure that the concerns and experiences of both men and women are taken into account in all aspects of the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies and programs in the political, economic, and social domains. This ensures that inequality is avoided and that both genders benefit equally. 

Thus, in compliance to the directive from the Central Office on the submission of Office Three (3) - Year Gender Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework (GMEF) Assessment Result, and likewise, in support of the aims of the Department to improve its current GMEF, the Field Office - National Capital Region conducted a Technical Learning Session on Gender Analysis and Gender Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework (GMEF) Assessment Workshop held on August 21-23, 2024 with the Regional GAD Technical Working Group. 

Ms. Marita Pimentel from the National GAD Resource Pool of the Philippine Commission on Women assisted the Regional GAD-TWG to discuss gender analysis and how to administer the GMEF Assessment tool. From this, the GMEF Assessment Result of the FO serves as the baseline data to continuously improve the initiatives and gender mainstreaming efforts of the Field Office down to its Division, Center/Residential Care Facilities and the Regional Program Management Offices.

As a result of the conducted Gender Mainstreaming and Evaluation Framework (GMEF) Workshop of the Field Office NCR, the FO got an overall score of 64.82 or Level 3: GAD Application. 

    Gender and Development (GAD) is a development perspective and process that is participatory and empowering, equitable, sustainable, free from violence, respectful of human rights, supportive of self-determination, and actualization of human potential. It seeks to achieve gender equality as a fundamental value that should be reflected in development choices and contends that women are active agents of development, not just passive recipients of development. 

  GAD Planning and Budgeting reflects various plans, programs, activities and projects (PAPs) on gender mainstreaming annually prepared by government agencies and submitted to PCW, in compliance with the requirements of RA. 9710. The PCW issues annual guidelines on the preparation and submission of the GPB through its Gender Mainstreaming Monitoring System (GMMS).  

Ms. Maria Helen Dayo from the National GAD Resource Pool of the Philippine Commission on Women discussed the essentials in GAD Planning and Budgeting, steps in formulating the GAD Agenda and Harmonized Gender and Development Guideline. 

The conducted FO-NCR GAD Planning and Budgeting for Fiscal Year 2025 has provided a direction and technical support along GAD Agenda, GAD planning and budgeting, that will surely aid the FO GAD Focal Point System to strengthen the D/C/RCF/S/U’s GAD Mainstreaming activities, especially in the effective and efficient implementation of their GAD programs, activities, and projects and cautious utilization of GAD funds. With this activity, the participants representing each D/C/RCFs were able to formulate and submit their respective GAD Plan and Budget for FY 2025 as the basis for formulating a Regional FY 2025 GAD Plan and Budget for submission to the GAD Focal Point of the DSWD Central Office for onward submission  to the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW).

Violence against women (VAW) and girls is not just a major public health problem but also a grave violation of human rights. It manifests gender inequity, targeting women and girls because of their subordinate status in society. In the Philippines, the National Demographic Health Survey 2017 released by the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed that 1 in 4 Filipino women, aged 15-49, have experienced physical, emotional, or sexual violence from their husbands or partners. As of 2023, there were 7,764 reported cases of Violation of RA 9262 b; 2,644 on rape; and 1,923 on acts of lasciviousness based on the report of the Philippine Statistics Authority fact sheet for 2024. Meanwhile, in the same year, the Department of Social Welfare and Development served 76 cases of physical abuse/Maltreated/Battered; 83 sexual abuse; 77 sexually exploited; and 58 Psychological/emotional abuse. It is alarming that despite addressing the concern, VAW persists. 

As the VAW appears as one of the country’s pervasive social problems, various measures and mechanisms have been employed and implemented to address it. One of which is the 18-Day Campaign to End VAW, an advocacy campaign that is observed annually from November 25 to December 12 as mandated by Proclamation 1172 s. 2006 and the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) is the lead agency in implementing and promoting such advocacy.

This year, PCW highlights the urgency of the advocacy in line with the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Anti-VAWC Act of 2004 (RA 9262) with the 2022-2027 recurring campaign theme, “UNiTEd for a VAW-free Philippines” and its 2024 sub-theme, “VAW Bigyang Wakas, Ngayon na ang Oras!”.

In contribution to the Philippine government’s pursuit to close the gender gap by addressing gender issues especially Violence Against Women (VAW), the Department of Social Welfare and Development partakes in the yearly campaign to end VAW. The Field Office - National Capital Region has conducted various activities in support of the said campaign such as the inclusion of an All-Women Cast Lupang Hinirang video during the flag ceremony, the display of a campaign banner to every office in the region, the use of an 18-day Campaign to End VAW Facebook Profile Frame, distribution of VAW-related IEC materials, installation of orange exhibit, and conduct of orientation on VAW, advocating of positive masculinity, etc.