Gender Advocacy Seminar Workshop

As part of PEZA’s advocacy to identify and address gender issues in the economic zones and to celebrate the 18-day Campaign to End Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC), a Gender Advocacy Seminar Workshop was conducted last December 6, 2019, at the PEZA Social Hall, PEZA Head Office, Taguig City. Representatives from various PEZA locator enterprises including some PEZA service personnel participated in the event. Two batches of training were conducted, namely the Seminar on Gender Laws, which tackles legislations pertaining to Anti-VAWC, Magna Carta of Women and Sexual Harassment, and Gender Sensitivity Training Workshop, which demonstrates how gender shapes the roles of women and men in society, including their role in development, and how it affects relations between them.

PEZA JOINS THE 2019 18-DAY CAMPAIGN TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

The 18-Day Campaign to End VAW supports the Philippine government’s goal of protecting the human rights of women and girls by upholding its commitment to address all forms of gender-based violence as enshrined in the 1987 Constitution. By virtue of Republic Act 10398 or the Act declaring November 25 of every year as the National Consciousness Day for the Elimination of VAWC, government agencies are mandated to raise awareness on the problem of violence and the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls.

The Philippine Commission on Women, in coordination with Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and Children (IACVAWC), is tasked to lead, monitor, and evaluate the annual nationwide observance of the 18-Day Campaign to End VAW. Adopting the theme “VAW-free community starts with Me” for the year 2016 to 2021, the campaign emphasizes everyone’s commitment and contributions on ending VAW and presents an ideal picture of a VAW-free community, thus inspiring the general public to make a personal commitment to end violence against women and children.

This year’s campaign continues to underscore the significant role of individuals, especially the youth, in fighting violence against women and girls within various institutions. It focuses on Primary Prevention to reduce incidents of VAW across the country, which can be achieved by empowering individuals to know and claim their rights, and to educate them where to seek help in cases of violence.

This campaign aims to:

  • Promote awareness on the forms of violence women and girls experience;
  • Provide information on laws protecting women and girls;
  • Feature VAW-related services that people can access and avail; and
  • Gather public support for the campaign

Seminar on Monitoring and Evaluation for Gender and Development

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), a national government corporation under the Department of Trade and Industry, in compliance with the Magna Carta of Women (Republic Act 9710), and recognizing the importance of gender equality and women empowerment in the PEZA, has developed its Gender and Development (GAD) plan and budget for the fiscal year 2019. Said GAD plan and budget has been reviewed and endorsed by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), the government agency tasked to provide technical assistance in developing GAD plans in government agencies and government corporations, and in monitoring the implementation of the Magna Carta of Women.

Realizing the need to enhance the implementation of its GAD plan, the PEZA has planned to conduct a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) training for those involved in the implementation of said GAD plan to enhance its M&E system. Said training activity, to be held at the PEZA office in Rosario, Cavite on October 28-29, 2019, will review the performance indicators of the PEZA Gad plan and develop an appropriate data collection tool.

The following are the objectives of the proposed M&E training:
1. To review the performance indicators of the GAD plan and identify outcome indicators as separate from the current output indicators;
2. To develop a data collection tool on the indicators of the GAD plan; and,
3. To develop a monitoring and evaluation plan as guide for monitoring the GAD plan by its implementers in PEZA.

Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA) Coastal Cleanup

The LPPCHEA is a 181 hectare National Protected Area, it is also declared in the Ramsar wetlands of international importance as established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The site contains a mangrove forest and swamp and provides a habitat for many migratory birds, it is also considered as the last wetland in Metro Manila. This coastal cleanup is in partnership with the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) National Capital Region. The said activity happened last April 16, 2019.