Gender and Development

Gender and Development (GAD) is a development perspective that recognizes the unequal status and situation of women and men in the society. It is a process that is participatory and empowering, equitable, sustainable, free from violence, respectful of human rights, and supportive of self-determination and actualization of human potentials. At the same time, it addresses women’s strategic interests and the interests of the poor through people – centered development and gender mainstreaming activities.

Gender Mainstreaming refers to the strategy for making women’s concerns and experiences as well as those of the men, an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies and programs in all social, political, civil, and economic spheres so that women and men benefit equally. Hence, inequality is not perpetuated, and discrimination against women will be minimized.

Discrimination Against Women is any gender-based distinction, exclusion, or restriction which has the effect or purpose of impairing of nullifying the recognition enjoyment, or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil, or any other field.

With reference to DepEd Order No. 27, s. 2013 entitled “Guidelines and Procedures on the Establishment of DepEd Gender and Development Focal Point System at the Regional, Division and School Levels”, the school shall establish the GAD FPS with the following composition: 

GFPS Head or Chairperson: Alfredo N. Sarabusab, Principal II

Members: Jerico D. Castillo, Head Teacher III

Katherine R. Labajo, Grade 7 Chairperson/ Guidance Designate

Editha V. Bonaobra, Grade 8 Chairperson/ Guidance Designate

Ma. Edchel Katrina Vicente, , Grade 9 Chairperson

Lovely S. De Guzman, , Grade 10  Chairperson

Catherine Joy S. Lucas, Administrative Assistant III/ Senior Bookkeeper

Leslie S. Ingco, Administrative Assistant II

Jerry Ellon Descalzo, Administrative Assistant II

Ma. Girlie C. Sancho, Administrative Aide IV

Terms of Reference:

The GAD Focal Point Persons/Members shall follow the following duties and functions as they apply.

1. lead in the gender mainstreaming in policies, plans and programs projects and activities (PPAs) and in the assessment of gender-responsiveness of systems, structures, policies, procedures and programs based on priority thrusts, needs and concerns of DepEd for its stakeholders, particularly students, teachers and employees;

2. analyze programs and projects using the Harmonized GAD Guidelines for Programs and Projects to determine their gender sensitivity;

3. recommend formulation/revision of policies in advancing women’s status and child protection;

4. lead in the review and updating of sex-disaggregated data for GAD database to serve as basis in performance-based gender responsive planning;

5. implement advocacy activities, including the development of information, education and communication materials to ensure consciousness-building and generating support for GAD;

6. identify gender issues arising from gender analysis and audit to serve as basis for determining PPAs in the GAD Plan;

7. prepare GAD plans and budgets and accomplishment reports and ensure their timely submission;

8. ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the GAD Plan and PPAs and the judicious utilization of the GAD budget;

9. recommend awards, recognition and other incentives (including performance-based bonus (PBB) to outstanding institutional GAD programs, activities and projects for GAD Focal Point members and other personnel/teachers;

10. build and strengthen partnership with all GAD Focal Point Persons in the Department, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), GAD-nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and other partners; and

11. coordinate GAD efforts of all offices/units. 

The Gender and Development (GAD) budget policy was introduced through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) in 1995 as “The Women’s Budget” to support with actual resources the implementation of programs and projects on the ground, focused on gender advocacy and commitment to women’s empowerment. This policy directs all government departments and agencies to allocate a minimum of five percent (5%) of their total annual budgets for gender programs, projects and activities. It has been an important feature of the annual GAA and further strengthened by the Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710).

RA 9710 further defined the national policy for the recognition, protection, fulfillment, and promotion of the rights of Filipino women, especially those coming from the marginalized sectors. It mandates all government instrumentalities to adopt Gender Mainstreaming as a strategy for implementing the law. The Magna Carta of Women identified GAD Planning and Budgeting as an essential mechanism to ensure the implementation of the law.

A GAD Plan and Budget is a systematically designed set of programs, projects and activities with corresponding budget carried out by government agencies departments, including their attached agencies, offices, bureaus, state universities and colleges, government-owned and controlled corporations, local government units and other government instrumentalities over a given period of time to address the gender issues and concerns in their respective sectors and constituents. It systematizes an agency’s approach to gender mainstreaming, women’s empowerment and gender equality.

View and Download GAD Plan and Budget

The accomplishment report presents the programs/ projects achieved by the gender Focal Point in a certain financial year and the corresponding cost in implementing the same.

View and Download GAD Accomplishment Report

Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 11313 or the Safe Spaces Act

Executive Order 209 – The Family Code of The Philippines

Proclamation 74 – Declaring the 17th Day of October of Every Year As National Children’s Day

Proclamation 267 – Declaring the Month of October of Every Year As National Children’s Month

Proclamation 847 – Declaring the Fourth Sunday of September As Family Thanksgiving Day

Proclamation 1105 – Declaring October 15, 1997, And of Every Year Thereafter, As “National Rural Women’s Day”

Republic Act 6949 – An act to declare march eight of every year as a working special holiday to be known as national women’s day

Republic Act 6955 – An act to declare unlawful the practice of matching Filipino women for marriage to foreign nationals on a mail-order basis and other similar practices, including the advertisement, publication, printing or distribution of brochures, fliers and other propaganda materials in furtherance thereof and providing penalty therefor

Republic Act 7192 – An act promoting the integration of women as full and equal partners of men in development and nation building and for other purposes

Republic Act 7277 – An act providing for the rehabilitation, self-development and self-reliance of disabled persons and their integration into the mainstream of society and for other purposes

Republic Act 7322 – An act increasing maternity benefits in favor of women workers in the private sector, amending for the purpose section 14-a of republic act no. 1161, as amended, and for other purposes

Republic Act 7432 – An act to maximize the contribution of senior citizens to nation building, grant benefits and special privileges and for other purposes

Republic Act 7600 – An act providing incentives to all government and private health institutions with rooming-in and breastfeeding practices and for other purposes

Republic Act 7877 – An act declaring sexual harassment unlawful in the employment, education or training environment, and for other purposes

Republic Act 8042 – An act to institute the policies of overseas employment and establish a higher standard of protection and promotion of the welfare of migrant workers, their families and overseas Filipinos in distress, and for other purposes

Republic Act 8187 – An act granting paternity leave of seven (7) days with full pay to all married male employees in the private and public sectors for the first four (4) deliveries of the legitimate spouse with whom he is cohabiting and for other purposes

Republic Act 8353 – An act expanding the definition of the crime of rape, reclassifying the same as a crime against persons, amending for the purpose act no. 3815, as amended, otherwise known as the revised penal code, and for other purposes

Republic Act 8371 – An act to recognize, protect and promote the rights of indigenous cultural communities/ indigenous peoples, creating a national commission on indigenous peoples, establishing implementing mechanisms, appropriating funds therefor, and for other purposes

Republic Act 8552 – An act establishing the rules and policies on the domestic adoption of Filipino children and for other purposes.

Republic Act 8972 – An act providing for benefits and privileges to solo parents and their children, appropriating funds therefor and for other purposes

Republic Act 8980 – An act promulgating a comprehensive policy and a national system for early childhood care and development (eccd), providing funds therefor and for other purposes

Republic Act 9208 – An act to institute policies to eliminate trafficking in persons especially women and children, establishing the necessary institutional mechanisms for the protection and support of trafficked persons, providing penalties for its violations, and for other purposes

Republic Act 9262 – A Briefer – The Anti-Violence Against Women And Their Children Act of 2004

Republic Act 9710 – Magna Carta of Women

Republic Act 9775 – A act defining and penalizing the crime of child pornography, prescribing penalties therefor and for other purposes

Republic Act 9995 – An act defining and penalizing the crime of photo and video voyeurism, prescribing penalties therefor, and for other purposes

Republic Act 10354 – An act providing for a national policy on responsible parenthood and reproductive health

Republic Act 10398 – An act declaring November Twenty-Five of every year as National Consciousness Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children

View and Download GAD Advocacy/ IEC Materials

HGDG stands for Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines. The HGDG is a document that helps government agencies integrate gender and development (GAD) into their development planning and projects. The HGDG helps agencies:

• Comply with the Women in Development and Nation-Building Act 

• Address the lack of sex-disaggregated data and statistics for development 

• Increase the gender-responsiveness of their programs and projects 

• Increase the allocation and use of GAD budgets

Agencies can use the HGDG design checklists during the planning and budgeting phase of their projects. The HGDG checklists can be used to assess the gender-responsiveness of a project and attribute it as a gender-responsive program.

GMEF stands for Gender Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework, a tool that helps organizations assess their progress in gender mainstreaming. The GMEF is a self-assessment tool that helps organizations understand the gender mainstreaming process, identify areas for improvement, and determine next steps. The GMEF is a set of indicators that show an organization's current stage of gender mainstreaming. The GMEF has five levels, with each level representing a different stage of progress: 

• Foundation Formation: 0–30.99 points 

• Installation of Strategic Mechanisms: 31–60.99 points 

• GAD Application: 61–80.99 points 

• Commitment Enhancement and Institutionalization: 81–95.99 points 

• Replication and Innovation: 96–100 points 

View and Download GMEF and HGDG Tool