Commencing this year’s National Women’s Month Celebration, the Department of the Interior and Local Government – National Capital Region (DILG-NCR) conducted an Orientation on the Magna Carta of Women and the Revised Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service on March 6, 2026, at the DILG-NCR Regional Office, North Avenue, Quezon City.

In her opening remarks, DILG-NCR Assistant Regional Director Atty. Ana Lyn R. Baltazar-Cortez, CESO IV, reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to promoting gender equality and protecting women’s rights, recognizing the vital role of women in public service and the importance of accountability in the workplace.

LGOO VI/Section Chief Benjielyn F. Yu-Roxas from the Local Government Capability Development Division (LGCDD) facilitated the discussion on Republic Act No. 9710, otherwise known as the Magna Carta of Women, highlighting key provisions that uphold and protect the rights of women. These include protection from all forms of violence, protection in times of crisis situations, access to comprehensive health services and health information and education, and special leave benefits for women employees who undergo surgery caused by gynecological disorders.

Following this, AO V/Human Resource Section Chief Jonathan Albert N. Timbol III from the Finance and Administrative Division presented the salient points of the 2025 Revised Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service (RRACCS), particularly provisions related to gender-based violence and sexual harassment. He discussed offenses under Section 64 (A), Rule X of the 2025 RRACCS, the role of the Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI), and the procedures involved in administrative cases.

To officially conclude the orientation, LGCDD Chief Luigi D.C. Pilarta encouraged all Regional and Field Office personnel to move beyond compliance and become active drivers and champions of gender equality and women’s empowerment across their families, workplaces, and communities.

This activity forms part of a series of initiatives under this year’s implementation of the Women LEAD: Advancing Human Resource Development by Fostering Inclusive, Resilient, Safe, and Transformative Spaces (HRD FIRSTS), which serves as DILG-NCR’s capacity-building platform for its personnel on gender sensitivity in the workplace.