Iloilo City –The Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Office 6 (MGB RO 6) conducted a reorientation on Gender and Development (GAD) for its personnel on December 7, 2016. Dr. Rosario H. Asong of the UGSAD Regional Gender Resource Center of the University of the Philippines Visayas, GAD resource person gave the MGB RO 6 employees a fresh understanding of concepts on gender relations and issues both at the personal and public spheres through lecture, workshop and creative activities such as role-playing.
Mainstreaming of gender and development in government programs and activities is mandatory. The GAD work program of MGB RO 6 is geared towards generation of data on the number of men, women and children residing in high risk areas based on the MGB 1:10,000 scale geohazard maps and come up with appropriate measures to minimize the effect of natural disasters on vulnerable groups. Increasing geohazard awareness and disaster preparedness of women in the local government units through their participation in disaster risk reduction (DRR) seminars and trainings is also a priority area. For all its employees, capability-building on gender-related laws, rules and policies and Gender Responsive Planning is also part of the GAD mainstreaming program.