The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Department of Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman last week urged government leaders to mainstream gender and development in budget preparation.
“When you prepare the budget, the primary purpose is to give jobs, to give employment to the people. So, sana, when you propose your budget, whatever program, project, or activity, make sure that women are already included in your proposal,” Pangandaman said in a press conference as the International Conference on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) 2024 concludes in Pasay City.
Pangandaman noted that 16.68 percent of the national budget in 2023 was allocated for Gender and Development (GAD), a figure much higher than the mandated 5 percent allocation for gender programs, projects and activities.
The government-funded WPS initiatives that promote women empowerment and lasting peace and security include social protection programs, such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) which covers additional grants for pregnant and lactating mothers.
These also include programs geared towards women’s economic empowerment such as the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) Program.
Other gender responsive programs are the People’s Survival Fund (PSF) that addresses women’s needs during climate crisis and disasters; and the PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn Program (PAMANA) which strengthens peacebuilding initiatives, reconstruction, and development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) chairperson Ermelita Valdeavilla said there are challenges in the submission of accomplishment reports for GAD budget implementation.
The PCW requests for annual performance report from WPS agencies where their budget are computed against their expenditures.
Valdeavilla reported that concerned agencies have allocated 0.51 percent of their 2023 budget to WPS initiatives.
“In terms of examining the utilization, 62 percent of the GAD budget went to protection and prosecution, and empowerment and participation is low, only 3 percent which means we really have to examine where the money is going to,” she said. PNA