Members of the Regional Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Point System (RGFPS), GAD Focal Persons of Field Offices, and representatives of Regional Office operating units convened for the Coaching and Mentoring Session on the Revised Guidelines on the Localization of the Magna Carta of Women and the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines (HGDG) on March 18, 2026, at the Philippine Public Safety College, Barangay Old Balara, Quezon City.

To commence the activity, DILG-NCR Assistant Regional Director Atty. Ana Lyn R. Baltazar-Cortez, CESO IV, underscored the vital role of participants in advancing GAD initiatives across the region, recognizing the session as a key platform to strengthen their commitment as champions of gender-responsive governance and inclusive development.

LGOO VI/Assistant Division Chief Maria Jasmin D. Diaz of the Local Government Capability Development Division facilitated a comprehensive discussion on the PCW-DILG-DBM-NEDA Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2024-01, or the Revised Guidelines on the Localization of the Magna Carta of Women. Focusing on institutional mechanisms, she elaborated on the roles and responsibilities of the GFPS, as well as key processes in GAD planning and budgeting, including budget attribution using the HGDG tool.

During the afternoon, ADC Diaz presented the fundamentals of gender analysis, highlighting its importance in GAD planning and budgeting to ensure that proposed programs and projects address identified gender gaps.

In her closing remarks, DILG Navotas Field Office Cluster Head Imelda D. Basilio emphasized that the changes in the localization guidelines reflect the significant progress made in capacitating LGUs. She then urged the participants to continue championing initiatives that promote women’s empowerment toward gender equality.

Aligned with the 2026 National Women’s Month Celebration, the coaching and mentoring session forms part of DILG-NCR’s initiatives under the Women LEAD: Advancing Human Resource Development by Fostering Inclusive, Resilient, Safe, and Transformative Spaces (HRD FIRSTS) Program, a capacity-building platform designed to cultivate gender sensitivity, support inclusive practices, and ensure the effective integration of GAD principles into local urban governance.