GAD SEAL Awarding Ceremony shines spotlight on Rehiyon Dose’s efforts on Gender and Development

by DILG XII

Director Annaliza F. Bonagua, CESO III, BLGD giving her message of support

Usec. Marjorie N. Jalosjos and DILG XII RD Josephine Leysa during the unveiling of GAD Seal DILG Rehiyon Dose gave due recognition to the first batch of agencies awarded with the GAD SEAL in a bright and star-studded ceremony on June 27, 2022. Nine pilot government agencies received the GAD Seal Certification award on that day, after having gone through a series of evaluation. The Certificate is issued to agencies which are compliant with the GAD parameters.

The awarding ceremony was made more momentous with the presence of Usec. Marjorie N. Jalosjos, DILG GAD Focal/ Undersecretary of Mindanao Affairs and Special Concerns. Usec. Jalosjos was the guest of honor and speaker for the GAD Seal Awarding Ceremony for NGAs and HEIs of Region XII and with her was Bureau of Local Government Development (BLGD) Director Annaliza F. Bonagua, CESO III.

In her message, Usec. Jalosjos first extended her congratulations to the nine agencies which received the award as GAD Seal certified: NEDA XII, CSC XII, SKSU, DILG XII, DENR-MGB XII, PNPRO XII, DTI XII, DOST XII and the DOE-Mindanao Filed Office (which is actually based in Davao City.) She gave DILG Rehiyon Dose a big boost with her encouragement to take GAD Seal to “a new level” with the grand plan of making GAD Seal far- reaching, with nationwide scope, all the way to the barangays.”

Meanwhile, Dir. Bonagua thanked DILG RD Leysa “for making our lives easier at the Bureau as we replicate the GAD Seal certification nationwide.” Director Bonagua’s Bureau of Local Government Development is the lead office tasked with promoting the GAD advocacy within the Department.“With what the DILG Rehiyon Dose started, we will be able to craft policies when we cascade down the GAD Seal to the regional offices, and eventually to the LGUs.

Usec. Jalosjos, DILG XII RD Leysa, and RGADC XII Vice Chairperson Richlie Lyndon Magtulis with the nine GAD Seal awardees: PNP RO XII, DOST XII, MGB XII, CSC XII, SKSU, DILG XII, DOE- Mindanao Field Office, NEDA XII and DTI XII

Wala nang pilot testing pa kasi inumpisahan na ito ng DILG Rehiyon Dose,” Dir. Bonagua stated.

In her speech during the awarding program, DILG XII Regional Director Leysa, CESO III relayed what happened while they were in Dakak Park and Beach Resort in Dapitan City for the GAD Seal Certification and GEDSI Orientation. “It was attended by 80 persons, with the host RD of Region IX, RD Faisal Abutazil, with some PDs of Zamboanga del Norte, their chief admin officers, SLGP Team and Dir. Anna’s entourage from BLGD. We were there, along with LGCCD Chief Jermie Erie-Yeager and ADC Almie Castillo,” she bared.

During that gathering in Dakak, the Guidelines were presented to all who were present during the two-day activity (June 22-24) leading to the awarding ceremony which is another milestone for DILG Rehiyon Dose and the Department as a whole.

RD Leysa, also the RGADC XII Chairperson, stated, “We are proud to say that one of the initiatives of RGADC XII is the Gender and Development (GAD) Seal Certification. This innovation is good but once (it is) replicated, it becomes great!”. She then posed a challenge to other agencies to aspire for the GAD Seal Certification and be one of the certified agencies proudly bearing the said seal. She emphasized that obtaining the GAD Seal “is one way to narrow the gender inequality and address gender issues in the region”. Back in 2019, RD Leysa became the RGADC Chair. “…that was the beginning of something really challenging, but nonetheless fulfilling role that we have to play,” she explained. She also pinpointed the struggles “that Region XII had in mainstreaming Gender and Development and closing the gender gaps.”

RD Leysa continued to narrate, ”During the 4th quarter Meeting of RGADC XII in 2020, there came out an idea of establishing the Prime Regional Center as GAD Zone. It started from there and it eventually snowballed. The idea of the declaration of the Prime Regional Government Center XII as GAD Zone was presented by the CSO Representative and Vice Chairperson of RGADC XII, PSR Richlie Lyndon Magtulis during the RGADC XII First Quarter Meeting for 2021 on June 22, 2021.” In response, RGADC XII approved Resolution No. 02 Series of 2021 entitled “Resolution Adopting the Prime Regional Government Center XII as Gender and Development Zone”. It was subsequently adopted by RDC XII through Resolution No. 25 series of 2022 entitled: “Adopting the Prime Regional Government Center XII as Gender and Development Zone”.

Prior to the awarding, the Regional Assessment Committee (RAC) for the GAD Seal Certification XII conducted an on-site validation at the DILG XII regional office, located at the Prime Government Regional Center, the first among agencies to submit itself for the said assessment.

The RAC members are composed of Ms. Melissa Gabrielle H. Vargas of NEDA XII, Ms. Ma. Josefina G. Buenbrazo of CSC XII, Prof. Susie D. Daza of Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU), and Private Sector Representative (PSR) Richlie Lyndon Magtulis from a civil society organization (CSO).