Outgoing city dad seeksto strengthen GAD mechanism

CEBU, Philippines —  An outgoing Cebu City councilor has proposed an ordinance establishing the Gender and Development Focal Point System (GFPS).

“There is a need to institutionalize the GAD Focal Point System of the City to strengthen its Gender and Development mechanism,” read the proposed ordinance sponsored by Councilor Lea Japson.

The proposed measure was referred to the committee on laws, ordinances, and styling as well as the committee on house rules and oversight of the City Council for review.

Section 3 provides that pursuant to the Magna Carta of Women-Implementing Rules and Regulations, the GFPS is tasked to ensure and sustain the local government unit’s critical consciousness in supporting gender and development, women's empowerment, and responding to gender issues.

It shall take a lead role in direction-setting, advocacy, planning, monitoring and evaluation, and technical advisory in mainstreaming GAD perspectives in the LGU programs, projects, activities, and processes.

Among the functions of GFPS are to assist in the formulation of new policies such as the GAD Code in advancing women's empowerment and gender equality; lead in setting up appropriate systems and mechanisms to ensure the generation, processing, review, and updating of sex-disaggregated data or GAD database to serve as basis in performance-based and gender-responsive planning and budgeting; and coordinate efforts of different divisions/offices/units of the city and advocate for the integration of GAD perspectives in all their systems and processes.

The city’s GFPS shall have an executive committee, technical working group (TWG), and secretariat.

The executive committee shall provide policy advice to the mayor to support and strengthen the GFPS and the city's gender mainstreaming efforts; direct the identification of GAD strategies, Programs, Projects and Activities (PPAs), and targets based on the results of gender analysis and gender assessment, taking into account the identified priorities of the city and the gender issues and concerns faced by the city constituents and employees; and ensure the timely submission of the city's GAD Plan and Budget, GAD Accomplishment Report and other GAD-related reports to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) which shall be consolidated for submission to Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and appropriate oversight agencies, to name a few.

The duties and responsibilities of the TWG are to facilitate the gender mainstreaming efforts of the LGU through the GAD planning and budgeting process; formulate the city GAD Plan and Budget (GPB) in response to the gender gaps and issues faced by their constituents including their women and men employees; assist in the capacity and competency development of and provide technical assistance to the offices or units of the city government, among others.

Meanwhile, the secretariat shall assist the GFPS execom and the TWG in the performance of their roles and responsibilities; provide administrative and logistical services; prepare meeting agenda and venue; and prepare documentation of GFPS' meetings and related GAD activities.

Subject to the limitations fixed by law, ordinances, and other administrative issuances, the members of the Executive Committee, TWG and the secretariat shall be entitled to claim honoraria for every meeting actually attended.

As a special body under the Office of the Mayor, an initial appropriation of P500,000 shall be taken from Miscellaneous and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) in the General Fund to defray expenses for travel, trainings, office supplies and for other activities necessary to carry out the mandate of the City GFPS. — GMR (FREEMAN)