THE GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT

(GAD) PROGRAM
Home  The Gender and Development (GAD) Program

I. INTRODUCTION

The Magna Carta of Women (Republic Act No. 9710) defines Gender and Development Program
(GAD) as the 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 potentials. 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 focuses on Gender Mainstreaming or a strategy for:
–          Making women’s as well as men’s concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design,
implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies, programs and projects in all social, political,
civil, and economic spheres so that women and men benefit equally; and
–          Assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation,
policies or programs in all areas and at all levels.
 
The implementation of GAD in government agencies, including GOCCs, finds basis in various laws and
Presidential issuances.

II. BACKGROUND/PERTINENT LAWS:

(1) Executive Order No. 273 – Approving and Adopting the Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive
Development (PPGD) 1995-2025
 
Executive Order (EO) 273, issued on September 9, 1995 and signed by President Fidel V. Ramos,
adopted the Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development IPPGD) 1995-2025. The PPGD 1995-
2025 is a 30 year perspective plan that outlines the policies, strategies, programs and projects that the
government must adopt to enable women to participate in and benefit from national development while
EO 273 directs all government agencies, departments, bureaus, offices and instrumentalities, including
government owned and controlled corporations, at the national level, sub-national and local levels to:

1.1. To take appropriate steps to ensure the full implementation of the policies/strategies and
programs/projects outlined in the Plan;
 
1.2. To institutionalize Gender and Development (GAD) efforts in government by incorporating GAD
concerns, as spelled out in the Plan, in their planning, programming and budgeting processes, but
specifically to:

1.2.1. Include/incorporate GAD concerns in the :

a. formulation, assessment and updating of their annual agency plans;

b. formulation, assessment and updating of their inputs to the medium/long-term

development plans, and

c. preparation of their inputs to sectoral performance assessment reports, public investment

plans and other similar documents.

1.2.2. Incorporate and reflect GAD concerns in their:

a. agency performance commitments contracts indicating key result areas for GAD as well
as in their annual performance report to the President, and

b. annual Agency Budget Proposals and work and financial plans

(2) Republic Act No. 9710 – An Act Providing for the Magna Carta of Women
Section 36: Gender Mainstreaming as a Strategy for Implementing the Magna Carta of Women
“All government departments, including their attached agencies, offices, bureaus, state universities and
colleges, government owned and controlled corporations, local government units and all other
government instrumentalities shall adopt gender mainstreaming as a strategy to promote women’s
human rights and eliminate gender discrimination in their systems, structures, policies, programs,
processes and procedures.
 
Section 36-B: Creation and/or Strengthening of the GAD Focal Points (GFP)
“All concerned government agencies and instrumentalities mentioned above shall establish or strengthen
their GAD Focal Point System (GFPS) or a similar GAD mechanism to catalyze and accelerate gender
mainstreaming within the agency.
In addition to Joint Circular 99-4 issued by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA),
the DBM and NCRFW, additional sets of guidelines, as deemed necessary, shall be formulated, for the
implementation of GAD-related programs/projects/activities.

(3) RA No. 11936 (“Act Providing for the Operation of the Government of the Republic of the
Philippines from January 1 to December 31, 2023”)
Section 35. Programs and Projects Related to Gender and Development. All agencies of the government
shall formulate a Gender and Development (GAD) Plan designed to address gender issues within their
concerned sectors or mandate and implement the applicable provisions under RA No. 9710 or the Magna
Carta of Women, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the
Beijing Platform for Action, and the Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development (1995-2025)
and the Philippine Development Plan.
The GAD Plan shall be integrated in the regular activities of the agencies, which shall be at least five
percent (5%) of their budgets. For this purpose, activities currently being undertaken by the agencies
which related to GAD or those that contribute to poverty alleviation, economic empowerment especially
if marginalized women, protection, promotion, and fulfillment of women’s human rights, and practice of
gender-responsive governance are considered sufficient compliance with said requirement. Utilization of
GAD budget shall be evaluated based on the GAD performance indicators identified by said agencies.

III. GSIS GAD COMMITTEE

To effectively implement GAD programs in GSIS and ensure that they are responsive to the needs of
women, the GSIS has recently reconstituted the GAD Committee. It consists of the following:
 
Chairperson :           President and General Manager as Head of Agency
Executive Committee
Chairperson  :   
Senior Vice President (SVP) Racquel D. De Guzman-Buensalida, Corporate Services Group (CSG)
Members        :          
Vice President (VP) Mary Abigail V. Cruz-Francisco, Treasury  Operations Office (TOO)
VP Paul G. Dela Cuadra, General Services Office (GSO)
VP Rachel T. Edjan, Luzon South Office
VP Vilma L. Fuentes, Human Resources Office, (HRO)
VP Jennifer A. Jimeno-Atienza, Litigation Office (LO)
SVP Luz Victoria F. Reyes-Morando, Office of the Corporate Secretary (CorSec)
Manager (Mgr.) from the Office of the President and General  Manager (OPGM)
One representative from the Kapisanan ng mga Manggagawa ng GSIS (KMG)
 
Technical Working Group (TWG) for GAD Planning, Budgeting, and Project Attribution
 Chairperson  :           VP Mary Abigail V. Cruz-Francisco [1], TOO
Members        :
Dr. Glenn Vladimir C. Valmores, HRO
Mr. Niñoromaine C. Vitug, FI Systems Maintenance and Other Accounting Services Office (FISMOASO)
Ms. Elvira V. Tabion, NCR Group
Ms. Maria Lourdes S. Taleño, Office for Strategy Management  (OSM)
 
 
TWG for GAD Awareness and Knowledge Management
 Chairperson  :           VP Vilma L. Fuentes, Human Resources Office (HRO)
Members        :
Mgr. Maria Clarissa C. Magdaraog, Risk Management Office  (RMO)
Atty. Haydee Elvie P. Chavez, Adjudication and Policy Office (APO)
Ms. Novie P. Paner, Applications Management Office (AMO)
Ms. Elmirah L. Salanga, Corporate Communications Office (CCO)
Ms. Mary Grace M. Raymundo-Cruz, HRO
 
TWG for Conduct of Capacity Building and GAD-Related Trainings
 Chairperson (for Central Office):           VP Jennifer A. Jimeno-Atienza, LO
Chairperson (for Branch Offices):           VP Rachel T. Edjan, South Luzon Office
Members        :
Atty. Alexei P. Cardenas, APO
Atty. Engelbert Anthony D. Unite, HRO
Ms. Maria Divina G. Santos, HRO
Ms. Jenny M. Albiola, Sorsogon Branch Office
One Representative from KMG
Heads of GSIS Branch Offices
One Focal Person per Branch Office designated by the Branch Head
 
Committee Secretariat:
Head              :           Mgr. Ma. Cecilia V. Sumisim, OSM
Assistant Head:        Mr. Mario Q. Ang II, OSM
Members        :
 
TWG for GAD Planning, Budgeting, and Project Attribution
Ma. Lian Kamyl P. Santos, CSG
Mr. Jerik-James E. Dionela, GSO
Ms. Gene Jetaime T. Ponio, OSM
 
TWG for GAD Awareness and Knowledge Management
Mr. Christopher P. Castillo, OSM
Ms. Antonette M. De Lara, OSM
Ms. Joy Camille C. Bumanlag, HRO
 
TWG for Conduct of Capacity Building and GAD-Related Trainings
Ms. Marjorie G. Hernandez, HRO
Ms. Maryrose P. Bernal, GSO
Mr. Scott San Pedro, HRO
The GAD Committee shall perform the following functions of the GAD Focal Point System (GFPS)
pursuant to Section 5 of PCW MC No. 2011-01:
 
A.    THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1.    Provide direction and give policy advice to the GAD Committee Chairperson to support and
strengthen the GFPS and GSIS’s GAD mainstreaming activities;
2.    Direct the identification of GAD strategies, programs, activities and projects (PAPs) based on the
results of the gender audit, gender analysis and according to the identified priorities of the GSIS in
response to the gender issues faced by clients and employees;
3.    Ensure the timely submission of the GSIS GAD Plan and Budget (GPB), Accomplishment Report
(AR) and other GAD-related reports to the PCW, Department of Budget and Management, and
Department of Finance;
 4.    Ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the GSIS GAD PAPs and the judicious
utilization of the GAD Budget;
 5.    Build and strengthen the partnership of the GSIS with PCW, GAD experts, advocates, women’s
groups and other stakeholders in pursuit of gender mainstreaming;
 6.    Recommend approval of GSIS GPBs and ARs; and
 7.    Recommend awards or recognition to outstanding institutional GAD PAPs and/or GFPS members.
 
B.    THE TECHNICAL WORKING GROUPS
1.  GAD Planning, Budgeting, and Project Attribution
 a.    Coordinate with the GSIS offices or units and ensure their meaningful participation in GAD strategic
and annual planning exercises;
b.    Benchmark the GPB with external organizations and other government agencies to further improve
the implementation of GAD program in GSIS;
c.    Facilitate the conduct of GAD planning and budgeting process;
d.    Formulate GSIS GPB in response to the gender gaps and issues faced by GSIS clients,
constituencies, and employees, following the submission of the other TWGs;
e.    Monitor the development and implementation of GAD PAPs;
f.     Coordinate with GSIS offices or units on the accomplishment of the corresponding Harmonized
Gender and Development Guidelines (HGDG) tool for attribution of budget and HGDG Project, Program
Implementation, Management, and Monitoring and Evaluation (PIMME) tool to support the AR;
g.    Prepare and consolidate the GSIS GAD ARs and the Modes of Verification to be submitted by the
other TWGs; and
h.    Provide regular updates and recommendations to the Committee Chairperson and Executive
Committee on the status of the GPB and other GAD-related deliverables.
 
2.  GAD Awareness and Knowledge Management
 a.    Facilitate the implementation of the gender mainstreaming efforts of the GSIS;
 b.    Lead the development of Information, Educational and Communication materials to ensure critical
support of GSIS executives, staff and relevant stakeholders to the activities of the GFPS and GAD
mainstreaming activities;
c.    Lead the conduct of gender audit, gender analysis, and/or maintenance of the GSIS Sex
Disaggregated Database and recommend possible GAD-related policies and programs resulting from the
gender audit and gender analysis activities;
d.    Prepare, consolidate and submit the GAD PAPs and accomplishments to the TWG on GAD
Planning, Budgeting, and Project Attribution for inclusion to the GPB and AR; and
e.    Provide regular updates and recommendations to the Committee Chairperson or Executive
Committee on the activities of the GFPS and the progress of agency GAD mainstreaming activities based
on the feedback and reports of the various units of the GSIS, and other tasks that may be assigned by the
committee.
 
 3.  Conduct of Capacity Building and GAD-Related Trainings
 a.    Lead the conduct of advocacy activities and trainings to capacitate the GSIS GFPS and employees
on gender and development;
b.    Work hand-in-hand with the HRO on the development and implementation of an appropriate
capacity development program on gender equality and women’s empowerment for GSIS employees, and
as requested or deemed necessary, for other GSIS offices, as the case may be;
c.    Conduct research/es and coordination with external service providers and other organizations with
GAD-related training programs that may also be conducted for GSIS employees;
d.    Prepare, consolidate and submit the PAPs and accomplishments to the TWG on GAD Planning,
Budgeting and Project Attribution for inclusion to the GPB and AR; and
e.    Provide regular updates and recommendations to the Committee Chairperson or Executive
Committee on the activities of the GFPS and the progress of agency GAD capacity building activities
based on the feedback and reports of the various units of the agency, and other tasks that may be assigned
by the committee.
 
C. THE COMMITTEE SECRETARIAT
 1.    Coordinate with the Executive Committee and TWGs for committee meetings and ensuring proper
scheduling of the same;
2.    Facilitate committee meetings, from preparation of the agenda, directives, highlights, transcript, and
recordings, up to the release of the same to the Executive Committee and TWGs, as may be needed;
3.    Provide budget requirements for the conduct of committee meetings and other activities;
4.    Assist the TWG on GAD Planning, Budgeting, and Project Attribution in monitoring the
development and implementation of GAD PAPs; and
5.    Provide assistance and support to GAD-related tasks that may be assigned from time to time.

IV. GAD Plan and Budget

Following the mandate of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), the GSIS has been submitting
its annual GAD Plan and Budget for the following year. It is a systematically designed set of programs,
 projects and activities with corresponding budget carried out [by government agencies including GOCCs]
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.3
3 Policy Development, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division – Philippine Commission on
Women. Trends and Updates on the Submission, Review, and Endorsement of FY 2018-2019 Gender and
Development plans and Budgets and Acceptance of FY 2017-2018 GAD Accomplishment Reports. July
2019, p. 2.
Below are the GPBs submitted by the GSIS from 2019 to 2022:
2019 –GPB-2019
2020 –GPB-2020
2021 –GPB-2021
2022 –GPB-2022

V. GAD Accomplishments

Following through on the approved plans, the GSIS has successfully accomplished GAD programs and
projects on a yearly basis. All these milestones and achievements are found in the accomplishment
reports prepared by the GAD Committee and submitted to the PCW. Accomplishment Reports from 2019
to 2022 are found below.
2019 –GAD ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR 2019
2020 – GAD ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR 2020
2021 – GAD ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR 2021
2022 – GAD ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR 2022
 

 
 
[1] Per PCW MC 2011-01, the TWG may be chaired by a member of the ExeCom.