PCW Memorandum Circular 2020-03: Adjustment and/or Implementation of the FY 2020 GAD Plan and Budget in view of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Situation


Date:27 April 2020
To:Heads of Departments, Bureaus, Offices, and Agencies of the National Government, Including Constitutional Offices, State Universities and Colleges, and Government-Owned or –Controlled Corporations; Legislative and Judiciary Branches; Local Water Districts; and All Others Concerned
Subject:Adjustment and/or Implementation of the FY 2020 GAD Plan and Budget in view of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Situation

1.0    Rationale

1.1    In accordance with Section 36(a) of Republic Act No. 9710 or the “Magna Carta of Women” (MCW), and the guidelines set under PCW-NEDA-DBM Joint Circular 2012-01 and PCW Memorandum Circular 2019-02, national government agencies and instrumentalities have prepared and are implementing their FY 2020 Gender and Development (GAD) Plans and Budgets (GPBs). The cost of which shall be at least five percent (5%) of the agency’s total budget appropriations.

1.2    Due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the President issued Proclamation Nos. 922 and 929 declaring a State of Public Health Emergency and, consequently, a State of Calamity throughout the Philippines. Section 2 of Proclamation No. 922 and Section 3 of Proclamation No. 929 enjoin all government agencies “to render full assistance to and cooperation with each other and mobilize the necessary resources to undertake critical, urgent, and appropriate disaster response aid and measures in a timely manner to curtail and eliminate the threat of COVID-19.”

1.3    Section 4 of Republic Act No. 11469 or the “Bayanihan to Heal As One Act” authorizes the President to exercise powers to adopt temporary emergency measures to respond to the crisis brought about by the pandemic. National government agencies have been identified and mandated to implement emergency measures outlined in the law and those deem necessary by the President.

1.4    National Budget Circular No. 580, dated 22 April 2020, provides the possible measures for the discontinuance of appropriated programs, activities and projects (PPAs) of the National Government, including State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), and Government-Owned or –Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) receiving budgetary appropriation authorized under the FYs 2019 and 2020 GAAs, to fund the operations and response measures related to the COVID-19 emergency situation.


2.0    Coverage

This Memorandum Circular covers the FY 2020 GPBs of departments, agencies and operating units of the National Government, including SUCs and GOCCs; constitutional offices; bodies under the Legislative and Judiciary Branches; and local water districts (LWDs).


3.0    Purpose

To provide guidance on the revision and/or implementation of the FY 2020 GPB to implement GAD PAPs that address gender issues and concerns related to the COVID-19 situation.


4.0    Guidelines

4.1    All national government agencies and instrumentalities are enjoined to review and revise, as necessary, their FY 2020 Gender and Development (GAD) Plan and Budget (GPB) to implement measures to address gender issues and concerns arising from the unequal status of their women and men stakeholders due to the COVID-19 situation. Such measures should be in line with their respective agency mandates, Republic Act No. 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women and the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act. Relative thereto, agencies shall observe the following measures:

4.1.1    Disaggregate data related to the COVID-19 situation such as deployed personnel, program/project beneficiaries and stakeholders by sex, age, disability and other relevant status to be able to analyze gendered differences and inform decision-making and program implementation;

4.1.2    Identify and implement policies and measures to prevent discrimination against women and gender-based violence in the implementation of programs and projects;

4.1.3    Ensure that women and men stakeholders are informed of the measures instituted or programs offered by the agency to prevent and respond to the COVID-19 situation;

4.1.4    Strengthen the leadership and participation of women in decision-making and program/project implementation;

4.1.5    For agencies with mandates related to addressing gender-based violence, ensure victim-survivors’ access to legal and various support services by adapting existing mechanisms to the crisis context (e.g., dedicated hotlines for reporting gender-based violence cases, online counseling, and repurposing spaces to expand shelters for gender-based violence survivors);

4.1.6    For agencies mandated to address the health impacts of COVID-19:

4.1.6.1    Pay attention to the health, psychosocial needs and work environment of frontline female health workers, including midwives, nurses, community health workers, as well as facility support staff (e.g., essential hygiene and sanitation items such as sanitary pads, availability of personal protective equipment that are appropriate to the size for women, and mechanisms to prevent harassment and other forms of violence in the performance of their duty);

4.1.6.2    Ensure the continuous provision of standard health services, especially for sexual and reproductive health care (e.g., access to family planning supplies and services; antenatal, postnatal care and delivery services, including emergency obstetric and newborn care; and HIV treatment access);

4.1.7    For agencies mandated to provide economic response and recovery, institute measures to avoid reversing gains in terms of women’s participation in the labor force, and ensure that financial support and access to credit are equally available to women and men;

4.1.8    For infrastructure agencies, ensure access to sufficient and affordable water, sanitation, and hygiene services for vulnerable groups of women, including in informal settlements, rural areas, and temporary shelters;

4.1.9    Consider childcare support for working and solo parents, especially where schools are closed, and provide safe and accessible services for essential workers; and

4.1.10    Consider procuring goods and services from women-owned enterprises. 


4.2    The revision of the FY 2020 GPB should also be in line with the parameters set under National Budget Circular No. 580. GAD PAPs that fall under Section 4.3.1 of said policy shall be discontinued.

4.3    The computation of the minimum five percent (5%) GAD budget as provided under Section 36(a) of the MCW shall be based on the total adjusted budget of the agency following National Budget Circular No. 580.

4.4    Agencies with FY 2020 GPB that has been endorsed or is still under review by PCW have an option to submit an adjusted GPB until 01 July 2020 for (re-)endorsement of PCW. Requests to reopen the access to the agency’s FY 2020 GPB submitted through the Gender Mainstreaming Monitoring System (GMMS) should be emailed to oed@pcw.gov.ph, copy furnished (cc) review.moderator@pcw.gov.ph and sysadmin@pcw.gov.ph.

4.5    Agencies, whether with an endorsed or unendorsed GPB, shall reflect all changes made in the original FY 2020 GPB (e.g., cancellation/postponement of a GAD activity due to the Enhanced Community Quarantine or implementation of a new GAD activity to respond to the COVID-19 situation) in their GAD Accomplishment Report (GAD AR). Agencies shall also fill-out Column 10 of the GAD AR form to indicate deviations from the identified GAD activities and targets, if applicable.

4.6    To ensure the gender-responsiveness of PAPs and comply with the minimum 5% GAD budget provision, agencies, especially those that are mandated to implement specific programs/projects under the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act and related directives, are highly encouraged to use the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines (HGDG) tool. The score of the program/project in the HGDG Project Implementation and Management, and Monitoring and Evaluation (PIMME) checklist (HGDG Boxes 16 & 17) or the Facility Implementation, Management, and Monitoring and Evaluation checklist (HGDG Box F2) shall be the basis for attributing a portion of or the whole expense of the program/project in the GAD AR following the table below.


HGDG ScoreDescriptionCorresponding percentage of the program/
project expenditure that may be attributed
to GAD in the Accomplishment Report
Below 4.0GAD is invisible0%
4.0 – 7.9Promising GAD prospectPercentage score in the HGDG
8.0 – 14.9Gender-sensitivePercentage score in the HGDG
15.0 – 20Gender-responsivePercentage score in the HGDG

5.0 For compliance and guidance of all concerned.


(Sgd) RHODORA M. BUCOY, Ph.D.
Chairperson



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