PCW-LGA Institutionalize Capacity Building for Gender-Responsive Governance
From left: LGA Assistant Director Esmeralda Purnell, LGA Executive Director Thelma Vecina, PCW Chairperson Ermelita Valdeavilla,
and PCW Deputy Executive Director for Operations Anita Baleda sign the PCW-LGA partnership agreement to raise capabilities for gender-responsive governance.
PASIG CITY, Philippines — February 25, 2026. In a move to bring gender-responsive governance down to the barangays, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and the Local Government Academy (LGA) inked a two-year partnership agreement. The agreement, effective from March 1, 2026, until February 28, 2028, will institutionalize gender-responsive local governance and strengthen the capacity of local government units (LGUs) to implement Gender and Development (GAD) laws, policies and programs through appropriate use of their GAD budget.
The ceremonial signing was led by PCW Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla and LGA Executive Director Thelma T. Vecina. Joining them as witnesses were PCW Deputy Executive Director for Operations Anita Baleda and LGA Assistant Director Esmeralda Daphne Purnell.
LGA Executive Director Thelma Vecina and PCW Chairperson Ermelita Valdeavilla pose with the signed PCW-LGA Partnership Agreement 2026-2028.
The partnership positions the two agencies as a “national-to-local bridge,” with PCW setting the policy framework for gender equality and women’s empowerment, while LGA equips LGUs with the necessary skills and systems to translate these policies into reality.
Building on proven success
Building on the successes of the 2021–2025 partnership, the new agreement continues the momentum of the joint GAD-related Newly Elected Officials – Webinar Executive Sessions (NEO-WES). These sessions have since enabled thousands of local chief executives and functionaries to develop a critical gender lens and enhance their competencies to design and implement gender-responsive programs that more effectively serve their constituents.
PCW and LGA representatives, staff revisit the milestones of the 2021-2024 partnership.
A primary milestone in the previous partnership was the Academy’s significant improvement in its validated Gender Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework (GMEF) score. With technical assistance and guidance from PCW, the LGA’s validated GMEF score rose from 28.69 in 2022 to 50.08 in 2024, enabling the agency to successfully reach Level 2: Installation of Strategic Mechanisms, from Level 1: Foundation Formation. During this period, the LGA also formulated its 2025-2030 GAD Agenda, which is anchored on its Strategic Plan and organizational objectives.
Priority targets for 2026-2028
The 2026-2028 partnership aims to scale up public service quality and cultivate a culture of excellence in local governance. The agencies will institutionalize gender-responsiveness by mainstreaming GAD into all LGU capacity development programs. This strategic collaboration will harmonize delivery mechanisms through high-impact initiatives like the NEO-WES, GAD Webinar Series, and the GAD Knowledge Exchange.
These efforts are designed to yield invaluable results for LGUs, such as equipping local leaders with the competencies to address the differential gender issues of their constituents.
PCW and LGA representatives discuss possible entry points for existing GAD mechanisms into the LGA’s NEO-WES Plus program.
A shared responsibility
PCW Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla underscored the importance of the partnership, noting that “a law without a local champion is a law without a heartbeat”. She called upon local leaders to reclaim the legacy of the Babaylan, moving women from the margins of power, back to its center, and using wisdom, compassion, and care to heal the issues in society.
Echoing this commitment, LGA Executive Director Thelma T. Vecina characterized the advocacy as both an institutional mission and a dream to ensure that women “really matter” across all levels of local government. She pledged that the LGA would utilize its harmonization mandate under Executive Order No. 103, s. 2025 (Amending Executive Order No. 138 (s. 2021) to extend the Transition Period for the Full Implementation of Devolution of Certain functions of the Executive Branch to Local Governments to Provide Additional Policies Therefor, and for other purposes) to institutionalize gender-responsiveness across all capacity development pillars—including policies, management systems, and leadership—as part of a vital “work-life labor” for a more inclusive and equitable nation.
PCW Chairperson Ermelita Valdeavilla and LGA Executive Director Thelma Vecina exchange their messages of commitment.
By embedding gender equality and women’s empowerment into local governance, the PCW and LGA contribute to the creation of a “Bagong Pilipinas” where women and girls are recognized and empowered as equal agents and beneficiaries of transformative change.