1.

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

In accordance with the Magna Carta of Women (MCW) and the Philippines’ commitment to
achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE), the Guidelines for the
Preparation of Annual GAD Plans and Budgets (GPBs) and GAD Accomplishment Reports
(ARs) was issued by the Philippine Commission on Women, the National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). The
guidelines provide the procedures for the formulation, implementation, monitoring and
evaluation of GAD plans and budgets of agencies and identify the setting of the GAD agenda
as one of the steps in formulating the GAD plan. The GAD agenda shall be the basis for the
annual formulation of programs, activities and projects (PAPs) to be included in the GPBs of
agencies. It will provide agencies with direction in setting and monitoring their GAD
initiatives towards the achievement of their GEWE goals.

The development of the GAD Agenda shall be guided by the desired GEWE outcomes and
goals embodied in the MCW and other women or gender-related laws relevant to the
agency’s mandates; the Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development (PPGD) 1995-
2025 and term plans on GEWE; and various international GAD-related commitments such
as the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women (UN CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA), and the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs). It shall also be anchored on the priorities and thrusts of the
government as expressed in the Philippine Development Plan and various sectoral
plans. (See Annex A)

2. PURPOSE

This Memorandum Circular provides the guidelines and procedures in the formulation,
implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the multi-year GAD Agenda as basis for the
annual GAD Plans and Budgets of agencies.

3. GENERAL GUIDELINES

3.1. The GAD Agenda is the agency’s strategic framework and plan on gender
mainstreaming, and achieving women’s empowerment and gender equality. It shall:

3.1.1. serve as basis in identifying programs, activities, and projects to be

undertaken to achieve the GAD goals and outcomes;

3.1.2. provide the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework for assessing
GAD results and outcomes that shall be the basis for strengthening the
mainstreaming of a GAD perspective in the agency’s operations and programs;
and

3.1.3. be formulated in a participatory, consultative and inclusive process. It

shall consider the results from consultations with women target beneficiaries as
well women’s groups/organizations working on the sector and other concerned
stakeholders, and the identified gaps resulting from gender analysis.
4. CONTENT AND TIMEFRAME OF THE GAD AGENDA

The GAD Agenda is a two-part document consisting of the GAD Strategic Framework
(GADSF) and the GAD Strategic Plan (GADSP). The GADSF outlines the agency’s GAD
Vision, Mission and Goals anchored on the mandate of the agency, while GADSP defines the
strategic interventions, indicators, and targets to be pursued to achieve GAD goals over a
period of time.

The timeframe of the GAD Agenda is six years.

5. STEPS IN FORMULATING THE GAD AGENDA (See Annex B)

5.1. Organizing the Planning Team

5.1.1. The Head of Agency or GAD Focal Point System (GFPS) Chairperson shall
issue, if necessary, an office memorandum for the preparation of the GAD
Agenda.

5.1.2. For agencies with sub-units, the GFPS of the central office (CO) shall
ensure the representation and participation of regional offices, staff bureaus,
and other sub-units of the agency in the planning team. Attached agencies and
bureaus independent from their parent agency shall also issue an office
memorandum and shall prepare their respective GAD Agenda.

5.1.3. The agency may also seek the support of external GAD practitioners or
sectoral experts from women or GAD-related civil society organizations,
members of the PCW Gender Resource Pool, representatives of Regional GAD
Resource Centers, to serve as resource persons or consultants for the
preparation of the GAD Agenda.

5.2. Conducting Gender Analysis

5.2.1. The agency, led by the GFPS, shall conduct gender analysis based on the
following:

5.2.1.1. results of the application of gender analysis tools such as the

Gender Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework (GMEF), Harmonized Gender
and Development Guidelines (HGDG), Participatory Gender Audit (PGA)
and other gender analysis tools;

5.2.1.2. analysis of sex-disaggregated data and/or relevant information;

5.2.1.3. review of GAD-related mandates and policies (international and

local);

5.2.1.4. review of sectoral and Gender Equality and Women’s

Empowerment (GEWE) plans and GAD-related indicators; and
 5.2.1.5. issues and recommendations gathered from consultations with
women’s groups/organizations working on the sector and other concerned
stakeholders.

5.2.2. After collating the results of the gender analysis, the agency should be
able to come up with a summary list of gender issues.

5.2.3. The gender issue could be client-and/or organization-focused.

5.2.3.1. A client-focused gender issue refers to gap/s arising from the

unequal status of women and men stakeholders (customers, clients,
beneficiaries) of a particular agency including the extent of their disparity
over access to benefits from and contribution to a policy, program,
projects and/or services of the agency.

5.2.3.2. An organization-focused gender issue, on the other hand, points

to the gap/s in the capacity of the organization to integrate a gender
dimension in its programs, systems or structure.

5.3. Setting the Agency’s GAD Vision and Mission (See Annex D)
The GAD vision shall be formulated to reflect the agency’s projected direction to
achieve its gender equality and women’s empowerment based on its mandate,
priorities and thrusts. The GAD Mission should articulate the agency’s purpose based
on its mandate in relation to achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment.

5.4. Formulating the GAD Goals

Based on the results of gender analysis, the agency shall set 3-5 GAD goals that it can
achieve during the timeframe set.

5.5. Prioritizing Gender Issues and/or GAD Mandates per GAD Goal

5.5.1. The gender issues shall be prioritized according to what the agency can
achieve within the timeframe of the GAD Agenda.

5.5.2. In prioritizing the gender issues to be addressed, the agency may

consider the following criteria:

5.5.2.1. Strategic– aligned with the priorities of the administration and

sectoral plans;

5.5.2.2. Relevant – aligned with the agency’s mandate under the MCW
and other GAD-related policies and plans; affects a significant number of
stakeholders;

5.5.2.3. Urgent – immediate action or attention is necessary to respond to

a pressing gender issue/concern
 5.5.3. Aside from priority gender issues, the agency may directly cite specific
GAD mandates emanating from GAD-related laws or plans that it needs to
implement.

5.6. Outlining the GAD Outcomes, Indicators, Baseline Data, and Targets per GAD
Goal

5.6.1. Based on the priority gender issues/GAD mandates, formulate the GAD
Outcomes/Result Statements to be achieved within the timeframe of the GAD
Agenda. The statement should provide a sense of progress toward reaching the
goal.

5.6.2. Identify the indicators to measure the progress towards the attainment of
the GAD outcome/result. An indicator can be qualitative or quantitative, and is
composed of a unit of measure, a unit of analysis and a context.

5.6.3. Provide the baseline data.

5.6.4. Set annual targets for each indicator.

5.7. Translating the GAD Outcomes into GAD Programs, Projects, and/or Activities

5.7.1. Identify/ Develop specific GAD programs, projects, and/or activities

aligned with identified strategies with corresponding estimated budget, to
achieve the desired GAD outcomes.

5.7.2. Fill out the GAD Strategic Plan template (Annex E).

6. OPERATIONALIZATION

6.1. The head of agency shall approve the GAD Agenda and issue a policy ensuring its
implementation by the agency’s sub-units.

6.2. The GFPS shall ensure that the GAD Agenda is disseminated to the agency’s sub-
units, such as staff bureaus, regional or field offices.

6.3. In the formulation of the agency’s annual GAD Plan and Budget, the entries in the
GAD agenda such as the, gender issue, GAD outcome, indicator, target, activities, and
budget for the specified year shall be reflected in the annual GPB.

6.4. To measure the progress made in achieving the GAD Goals, the agency shall
identify its annual targets, and move from program, project, and/or activity
completion and outputs in the first year or two, to results in terms of achieving the
GAD outcomes towards the end of the GAD agenda timeframe. It shall monitor and
evaluate progress made in achieving these targets in its GAD Annual Accomplishment
Reports.
 6.5 GAD programs, projects, and/or activities, may be modified, as necessary, in
order to attain the GAD outcomes and goals.

6.6 The agency may also adjust the GAD Agenda to include emerging gender issues
and corresponding outcomes and programs, projects, and/or activities that may not
have been included at the onset of the planning period.

7. MONITORING & EVALUATION

7.1. A review after three years and an end-term evaluation of the GADSF and GADSP
shall be conducted by the GFPS and reports shall be prepared and submitted to PCW.

7.2. The 3-year progress report shall reflect the status of accomplishments based on
the analysis of the desired results and outcomes, as well as variances. (See Annexes
C & F)

7.3. The end- term report shall reflect the overall assessment of the implementation
of the GAD agenda based on the goals and desired results/outcomes. It shall also
reflect the variances, including unintended results, and the reasons for such, as well
as the recommendations and lessons learned. Agencies shall submit together with the
end-term report, a narrative of its GAD accomplishments, which may include success
stories and good practices.

7.4. The result of the evaluation may serve as basis in formulating its GAD Agenda for
the next planning period. (See Annexes C & G).

8. SUBMISSION

The GAD Agenda, progress and end- term reports shall be submitted by agencies to PCW for
the purpose of monitoring, evaluation, reporting of GEWE results and as necessary,
provision of technical assistance on its implementation.

9. TRANSITORY PROVISION

Agencies are encouraged to prepare their GAD Agenda upon the effectivity of this guidelines
for calendar years (CY) 2020-2025. Agencies with existing GAD Agenda shall review and
recalibrate, as necessary, their GAD Agenda in line with these Guidelines.

10. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE

This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.