Joseph Ejercito Estrada

LIST OF OFFICIALS

Honorary Chairperson: Dr. Luisa Pimentel Ejercito
Chairperson: Dr. Amelou Benitez-Reyes

Executive Director: Ermelita V. Valdeavilla
Deputy Executive Director: Mayumi Juris A. Luna

1998

SIGNIFICANT EVENT

NCRFW’s focus has been on poverty alleviation and the advancement and protection of women’s human rights, promoting women’s economic empowerment and gender-responsive governance.

LEGISLATIVE VICTORIES

RA 8425: Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act, which provided women’s representation in the National Anti-Poverty Council

RA 8505: An Act Providing Assistance and Protection for Rape Victims, Establishing for the Purpose a Rape Crisis Center in Every Province and City

RA 8551: promoted equal opportunities for women in the Philippine National Police

1999

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

Issued Civil Service Memorandum No.8 for equal representation of women in promotions to top-level positions in government. ¹

The NCRFW developed tools for effective GAD planning and budgeting. Among the tools developed were GAD Mainstreaming in the Philippines, Gender-Responsive Planning Towards Proper Implementation of the GAD Budget Policies, and GAD Mainstreaming at Subnational Levels. ²

Launched the P4 billion loan windows for women entrepreneurs in partnership with the Development Bank of the Philippines, Landbank, women’s business organizations, and private financing institutions. It aimed to enhance the economic opportunities for women through accessible and women-friendly loans and entrepreneurial technical support.

Completed the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC processes and its eventual adoption by the APEC leaders. The Framework recognized the differential impacts of economic policies and programs on women. It aimed to address them in various APEC fora through gender analysis, sex disaggregation of data, information sessions, and the documentation of best practices on GAD mainstreaming. The adoption of the Framework led to the creation of the SOM Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Gender Integration, tasked with providing the necessary gender expertise that will enable APEC bodies to implement the Framework during the two-year critical period.

Ensured the implementation of the GAD Budget Policy, a unique approach to providing resources for women and gender equality policies. This model has become an interesting model for other countries. The GAD Budget Policy is a provision under Section 28 of the 1999 General Appropriations Act, which required government entities to set aside at least 5% of their 1999 appropriations for projects which address gender issues.

For the period, a significant increase in the number of agencies complying with this policy rose dramatically from 69 in 1998 to 134 in 1999. The budgetary allocations of complying agencies also increased from P2.69 billion in 1998 to P3.42 billion in 1999.

2000

LEGISLATIVE VICTORIES

RA 8972: Solo Parents’ Welfare Act of 2000 aims to develop a comprehensive program of social development and welfare services for solo parents and their children

Executive Order No. 220, s. 2000: Creating an Executive Council to suppress trafficking in persons, particularly women and children

1998-2000

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

Helped make women more bankable through a Memorandum of Understanding between the NCRFW and Landbank, Development Bank of the Philippines, and other financial institutions to expand law windows and relax lending procedures for women.³

Completed a bilateral project between the Philippines and Belgium to educate and train the public on preventive actions against trafficking in women and provide social and legal assistance to victims of this crime.⁴

Played a vital role in finalizing, adopting, and implementing the Framework for the Integration of Women in Asia-Pacific Economic Participation.⁵

Instituted a Management and Information System on GAD and Human Resource Development Program within NCRFW. ⁶

Adopted an affirmative action program to train more women in the Philippine National Police Academy and adopt lateral entry into the service command. Nationwide, some 400 women’s desks have been established, with desk officers trained to deal effectively with cases of violence against women and children.⁷

Completed the project on “Policy and Development Advocacy for Women’s Health” pertaining to women’s health and population concerns, as well as violence against women.

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Cited Sources:

¹ NCRFW. (2001). Making Government Work for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality. Retrieved here.
² National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women: Silver Jubilee. (January 2000). Retrieved here.
³ NCRFW. (2001). Making Government Work for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality. Retrieved here.
⁴ Ibid.
⁵ Ibid.
⁶ Ibid.
⁷ Ibid.