A HISTORIC acknowledgement of its gender-mainstreaming initiatives happened to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region 8, which received on May 7, 2025 the Bronze Gender and Development (GAD) Seal at the Regional Directors’ Conference cum GAD Seal Awarding held at the Sequoia Hotel, Quezon City, Manila.
“This Bronze GAD Seal is a testament to our department’s dedication to fostering an equitable work environment, one where every employee—regardless of gender—enjoys equal opportunity and respect,” said DILG 8 Regional Director Arnel M. Agabe.
An incentive and recognition program called the GAD Seal Program works to abolish all types of gender discrimination in the workplace and encourage gender mainstreaming.
The GAD Seal is awarded to agencies that meet the minimum standards outlined in the GAD Checklist, grounded in Republic Act No. 9710 (Magna Carta of Women) and other laws.
The award demonstrates DILG Region 8’s observable advancements in integrating gender-responsive policies into all aspects of operations.
The GAD Seal Program emanated from RGADC XII Resolution No. 02, Series of 2021, which declared the Prime Regional Government Center XII as a Gender and Development Zone, a move later pronounced by RDC XII Resolution No. 25, Series of 2021.
Through RDC XII Resolution No. 27, Series of 2022, which established a Regional Assessment Committee to supervise the review procedure and validated the certification requirements, the initiative received regional support.
To proliferate the program nationwide, the DILG meanwhile, institutionalized the GAD Seal through Memorandum Circular No. 2023-070, serving as an incentive and recognition mechanism to promote gender mainstreaming in all DILG regional offices.
In 2025, the program was further enhanced through the introduction of a three-tiered recognition system—Gold, Silver, and Bronze—to acknowledge varying levels of success. (By Gwen Maurillo/EV Mail MAY 12-18, 2025 issue)
