The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the MIMAROPA has urged women in Palawan to actively participate in development projects and programs of the provincial government.
DSWD MIMAROPA regional director Floreceli Gunio said this Tuesday in a seminar on gender mainstreaming and community development as part of the weeklong celebration of the Women’s Month in the Provincial Capitol.
“Nais namin na sa lahat ng mga programang ito, ang bahagi, ‘yung proseso, disenyo ng mga programa ay mayroong pakikilahok ang mga kababaihan lalong-lalo na sa pagtingin ng kanilang kalagayan, pagsuri ng mga nangyayari sa mga suliranin nila sa pamayanan,” Gunio said.
She said women in the province should also take part in determining priority programs that will give solutions to problems in communities such as water system projects, roads, barangay health centers, and schools.
Gunio added the women sector should participate in barangay assemblies whenever proposed projects are going to be discussed.
“Sa lahat ng mga proyekto palaging nakapasok doon ang concern na [kung] makakatugon ba ito sa pangangailangan ng mga kababaihan,” she pointed out.
Gunio said she is happy to see that in Palawan, women are active.
“Napansin namin na although 50-50 ang gender-balance na sinasabi, 61 percent ang women participation sa mga community assemblies at lalong-lalo rin sa mga committees karamihan mga babae ang nandoon,” Gunio said.
In the seminar’s action planning, 250 barangay gender and development (GAD) monitors also participated from the province’s municipalities.