Gender and Development in Southern Philippines: Experiences on GAD Budget Policy in some Barangays of Iligan City

Abstract

The Philippines is one of the early countries in Asia with strong advocacy for gender and sustainable development. As one of the signatory countries of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPA) and Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Philippine government and its national women machinery, the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW) had adapted and implemented international gender policies and legislated Gender and Development (GAD) mandates and structures. The government’s concern for women is embodied in the Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development (PPGRD) 1995–2025. Over the years, through various legal mandates, GAD has shifted from being highly centralized to decentralization, from national government to sub-national governments, more known as local government units in the Philippines. As Heilet (et al. 2008) aptly stated, local government is in a unique position to contribute to the global struggle for gender equality and can have a great impact on the status of gender equality around the world, in its capacities as the level of governance closest to the citizens. This article adapts the Gender and Development framework embodied in the PPGD which promotes gender empowerment and equality. That is, sustainable development can truly be attained if the needs and issues of the marginalized women sector at the basic administrative local government units are addressed through representation and legislated gender budget. With more than 2 decades after PPGRD has been passed, the pressing need is to find out how gender mainstreaming and GAD Budget Policy compliance has fared in the southern part of the country, in the city of Iligan, specifically to its most basic administrative units, the barangay. The GAD Budget Policy, a vital component of Gender and Development (GAD) is the focus in this article that is to find out the gender budget compliance in the barangay level, specifically the 15 barangays in Iligan City. The study, conducted in 2016 to 2017 used Key Informant Interviews and reviewed national and local GAD ordinances and documents. Barangay Gender and Development and gender budget policy has still a long way to go in the barangays with its triumphs and challenges. While GAD structures based on mandates from the city government cascaded to the barangay level it is noticeable women are still a minority at the barangay governance. There is however, a high level of compliance, to the 5% gender budget and the preparation of the annual GAD Plan & Budget (GDB). The limited gender budgets although allotted for gender-friendly programs, projects, and activities are not enough. Through women’s representation and involvement, feelings of equality, empowerment and self-worth among the women beneficiaries are reported for having contributed to the family income and represented and involved in community development projects.