TAGUIG CITY, Metro Manila—Following the recent endorsement of its 2026-2031 Gender and Development (GAD) Agenda by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), PNOC’s GAD Focal Point System-Technical Working Group (GFPS-TWG) conducted its GAD Planning and Budgeting Workshop for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 on October 21, 2025.
The one-day session served as a platform to ensure conformity with the mandates of Republic Act No. 9710 also known as the Magna Carta of Women, the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Plan 2019–2025, and other related policies.
In her opening remarks, Public Relations Officer IV and GFPS-TWG Vice President Sharina Mariz L. Walde underscored the importance of the workshop in aligning PNOC’s gender programs with both national policy and the company’s strategic direction. She emphasized that the session was an opportunity to strengthen PNOC’s commitment to gender equality. “The quality of our plan dictates the success of our programs, and every member must take ownership of the initiatives to ensure solid, justified, and SMART outputs,” Walde stressed.
The group was briefed on the core concepts and compliance requirements for GAD planning and budgeting, which include the adoption of an intersectional approach to address overlapping experiences of discrimination faced by women, persons with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. This is in line with the PCW’s directive to develop gender-transformative programs aimed at challenging systemic gender norms and promoting lasting equality.
Breakout sessions were also employed based on the company’s GAD goals to allow focused discussion among the working groups. Some key priorities identified for FY 2026 are programs and activities focused on strengthening institutional mechanisms, enhancing gender-responsiveness in corporate policies and practices, and promoting inclusivity and awareness across all levels of the organization.
Participants presented their planned activities and programs, and the body openly suggested improvements. The workshop fostered collaboration, allowing everyone to share their insights and sentiments.
Additionally, the company will continue its participation in national advocacies, including the National Women’s Month Celebration and the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women. The initiative also includes outreach programs centered on teenage pregnancy prevention and the advocacy against violence toward women and their children, targeting communities and locators surrounding PNOC’s offsite offices in Bataan and Batangas.
PNOC also aims to reinforce its gender mainstreaming efforts through improved data management, capacity development, and stronger monitoring and evaluation mechanisms such as the institutional use of the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines tool to ensure that all programs and projects contribute meaningfully to gender equality outcomes.