TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte-“Akong iprisintar ang akong nahibaloan sa pagseminar sa BGAD (Barangay Gender and Development); ako’ ning katungdanan komo usa ka lider sa pamilya ug sa barangay. (I believe that I have the responsibility to share what I learned from this BGAD seminar to my family and community.”)
This was how a participant committed himself to utilizing the skills and knowledge he got, after attending the recently concluded Roll-out Training for BGAD Focal Persons, at the Leyte Park Hotel in Tacloban City.
The Regional Program Management Office of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan–Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) Field Office VIII organized the training to build and enhance the competencies of BGAD volunteers in facilitating gender mainstreaming in Kalahi-CIDSS and develop them into becoming GAD Champions.
“Women and gender issues are development issues. To truly empower communities, Kalahi-CIDSS should always push for the inclusion of everyone in all activities and ensure that policies, structures and processes empower both men, women and the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community”, Roger Cabiles, the Kalahi-CIDSS Regional Capability Building Specialist said. He cited the potential of the said program not just to reduce poverty and improve local governance, but more importantly, its capacity to ’empower the people’.
Cabiles also challenged the participants to live up to the expectations of being a Gender and Development Volunteer. “You play a very important role in your community. What you have learned here, you have to share it to more people, you have to share it to your leaders, you have to lead your community in pushing for gender equality and the inclusion of everyone in the development process. You have to level up, it is not enough that you are GAD volunteers or focal persons. In time, you all have to be GAD Champions”, he told the volunteers.
“Our most significant learning and realization were on how men and women differs, the issue on gender-based discrimination, the role of women on leadership, gender division of labor, and the the Anti-Violence against Women and their Children Law. These insights can be used to encourage fellow women to be more cooperative, and show up what they got, either at the personal level, family life, or community level”, said Myla Narca, one of the participants from Alang-alang, Leyte.
All participants pledged to talk to their leaders to incorporate gender-sensitive policies in implementing projects as well as conceptualize projects that respond to the needs of different genders. They were also asked to create their own personal and community action plan on Gender and Development at the end of the training. This activity helped them visualize and plan their action once they get back to their own families and communities.
Around 500 Barangay officials and BGAD Focal Persons attended the three-day Roll-out Training for Barangay volunteers and Municipal Local Government Unit Staff on Gender Mainstreaming of Kalahi-CIDSS Random Municipalities in Samar and Leyte which is funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). These areas are Lope de Vega, Lavezares, Catarman, Hindang, Matag-ob, Babatngon, Pastrana, Tanauan, Barugo, Burauen, Abuyog and Alangalang.
A total of 10 training sessions were conducted from April 7 to May 1 in the cities of Tacloban and Calbayog. The training included modules on Gender Sensitivity as well as Law and other Legal Imperatives on Gender and Development.
The Kalahi-CIDSS or Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services is a program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that seeks to help alleviate poverty using the Community-Driven Development (CDD) strategy.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is an innovative and independent U.S. foreign aid agency created in 2004 that is helping lead the fight against global poverty through economic growth.## (Roger Cabiles)(Photo credits: Yen Pascual)