The Benguet State University (BSU) Gender and Development (GAD) Office conducted a three-day planning workshop titled, “BSU-Gender and Development Planning and Budgeting 2025 (GPB): Advancing Gender Equality through Strategic Action” at Santiago Cove, Sabangan, Santiago, Ilocos Sur on October 16-18, 2024.

Before finalizing the BSU Gender and Development Plan and Budget for 2025, the BSU GAD Technical-Working Group (GAD TWG) members from the La Trinidad, Bokod, and Buguias campuses embarked on a training-workshop with Frances Noelle G. Escalera from the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) Resource Pool. Escalera is a former BSU-GAD Unit Director who is now a Supervising Professional Regulations Officer of the Philippine Regulatory Commission (PRC)- Baguio City.

The workshop aimed to train the TWG members on the preparation of the GAD Plan and Budget (GPB) and GAD accomplishment report; and enhance their capabilities in mainstreaming GAD in the university.

 

 

Escalera discussed GAD concepts, gender roles, gender biases, differences in gender equality and equity, gender mainstreaming, and gender analysis on the first day. After the discussion, Escalera grouped the participants for the workshop. The output of the workshop session aimed to measure the GAD Focal Point System (GFPS) functionality of BSU in the implementation of GAD in the university.

 

 

The second topic was GAD Planning and Budgeting Framework and GAD Analysis Tools and Techniques, focused on the basic concepts, general guidelines, and essential elements in GAD planning and budgeting. Escalera tackled the procedures for formulating GPB, including the preparation and adaptation of the GAD agenda. She also talked about identifying appropriate programs and projects (PAPs) to address priority gender issues and considering the use of the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines (HGDG).

 

 

Day 2 of the activity started with a Zumba exercise and a recap of the topics discussed during the first day. GAD Director Estrellita M. Daclan then presented the activities, outputs, and challenges of the GAD office within the year 2024. Afterwards, Escalera continued her discussion on the GPB proposal and GAD accomplishment report.

 

 

During the final day of the activity, the participants presented their workshop outputs and finalized the 2025 GAD Plan and Budget. The activity concluded with the sharing of the participant’s experiences. Daclan expressed her gratitude to Escalera for sharing her expertise and to the participants for their active participation.//PJGadang