Rodriguez wants monitoring of GAD fund allocation, spending

WE are in a pandemic and women are the most affected by this pandemic.

This was stressed by Councilor Jocelyn Rodriguez during the City Council regular session Monday presided over by Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin V. Uy after representatives of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCM) presented the commission’s programs for Cagayan de Oro City and North Mindanao.

The councilor said among the many issues the local government unit attends to, she is concerned about the implementation of Section 10 of Republic Act No. 9710 regarding women affected by disasters, calamities, and other crisis situations.

Rodriguez said the Magna Carta of Women provides that the cost of implementing Gender and Development (GAD) programs shall be the agency’s or the local government unit’s GAD budget which shall be at least five percent of the agency’s or the local government unit’s total budget appropriations. She pointed out that this is also provided in Sec 37, Rule 6 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Magna Carta.

“Gusto unta nako nga ma monitor closely sa atong PCW o kaha sa mga civil society kon ang five-percent GAD fund sa mga LGU dinhi sa Cagayan de Oro nadapat ba sa pag amoma sa mga kababainhan niing panahon sa pandemya,” she cited.

Atty. Kristine Rosary Yuzon-Chavez, executive director of PCW, thanked Councilor Rodriguez for recognizing the vulnerability of women, especially during the present crisis.

She said the compliance of local government units and national agencies as to GAD spending is monitored by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Commission on Audit (COA).