Gender mainstreaming inches
Forward with GAD RC opening

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)—With baby steps, Bohol Capitol inches to its goal of maintaining a mainstreamed gender and development (GAD) in governance when it opened its GAD Resource Center (GAD RC) with a kiddie play nook and mini library, February 5.

“We opened [the GAD RC] with children at the forefront…because this is all about them, and their future. For the GAD Resource Center, this is all about them,“ shares Provincial Human Resource Management and Development Officer Anne Mariquit D. Oppus, during the opening ceremonies.

In fact, during the ribbon cutting, three kids also took part in the ribbon cutting ceremonies top-billed by Vice Governor Nicanor Pacifico Besas in lieu of Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, HRMDO Oppus, Rev Fr James Darunday, Capitol Chief of Staff, the Department of Interior and Local Government representative and women department heads.

The new resource center, according to Oppus, also feature a “safe space;” an physical environment where people feel respected, heard, and protected from discrimination, bullying, or harassment, which are important for people to be themselves without fear.

Safe spaces, in the GAD context impose very clear rules: there is zero tolerance for bullying, harassment, or discrimination, where personal stories shared remain in the space, where occupants do not mock, interrupt of shame people and they follow inclusive language as they interact with a trained in house facilitator.

Aside from the safe space, the new GAD RC also has a breastfeeding room, a mini conference room and databank, which can be a storage bank for GAD related data from the municipalities, she added.

Taking GAD advocacy a step further, the Capitol HRMDO in the Aumentado-Besas Administration has earlier “earned the Mother-Baby friendly Workplace- certification from the Department of Health through the Provincial Health Office,” Oppus noted.

The certification came as a validation of Capitol’s victory in getting for the Provincial Council Against Trafficking, Violence Against Women and Children (PCAT-VAWC) and the Provincial Council for the Protection of Children (PCPC), the distinction of being picked as highly functional during the fiscal year 2025 GAD Focal Points System functionality assessment.

Earlier, Capitol implemented a wellness program targeted to for day-care children of Capitol employees, and the employees themselves, where kids can sit in for storytelling sessions, employees can join painting classes, music writing lessons, traditional Filipino games and creative activities.

And if many think GAD is about women empowerment, Capitol has since implemented the Men Opposed to Violence Everywhere (MOVE) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Empowerment and Reaffirmation of Paternal Abilities (ERPAT) designed to strengthen, train, and empower fathers to become effective, responsible, and nurturing caregivers by enhancing paternal skills, fostering equal parenting roles, and promoting active involvement in child-rearing and community life.

Bohol also implemented the solo parents through capacity building and livelihood workshops, on stress management sessions, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship to help parents generate additional income.

For such advances, Bohol received from the Regional Gender and Development Committee (RGADC-7) the GAD Selyo sa Rehiyon Siete 2026 along with five other government offices and state universities and colleges, in recognition o their exemplary efforts in advancing gender mainstreaming in Central Visayas.

“There were only two local government units: the Province of Bohol and Lapulapu City,” Oppus shared.

Finally, the HRMDO announced that the Philippine Center for Women has shortlisted Bohol as one of the fourth batch of LGUs being considered as PCW Certified Gender and Development Local Learning Hub: and the national center would be in Bohol for validation of the Bohol Youth Home and the pioneering GAD database of the Provincial government.

As envisioned in Bohol’s strategic governance roadmap, Capitol’s sustained commitment to promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment, and inclusive development, goes in line with its continuing efforts to institutionalize gender-responsive programs and policies across all sectors of governance in Bohol.

To our partners, continue to make us as instruments of things that truly matter…we are here to listen, and do the work, Oppus issued the challenge to GAD advocates during the opening ceremonies. (PIABohol)

THIS ONE’S FOR THE CHILDREN. The newly opened Capitol GAD RC features a day-care play nook and mini library where employees kids can be left on their own to be creative. This, plus the center can become an emotional oasis for employees seeking stress relief.Cutting the ribbon here are Vice Governor Nick Besas, and Chief of Staff Atty. Filipina Piollio with HRMDO Anne Mariquit Oppus. (PIABohol/PIMO)