Department of Agrarian Reform

Section 14, Article II of the Constitution provides that "The State recognizes the role of women in nation-building and shall ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women and men". HaAIES

Section 14, Article XIII of the Constitution (Social Justice and Human Rights) provides that "The State shall protect working women by providing safe and healthful working conditions taking into account their maternal functions and such priorities and opportunities that will enhance their welfare and enable them to realize their full potential in the service of the nation."

Republic Act No. 7192, otherwise known as the "Women in Development and Nation Building Act" provides promoting integration of women as full and equal partners of men in development. This law and its corresponding implementing rules and regulations specifically mandated the formulation of a Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development (PPGD) 1995-2005, which ensures full participation of men and women beneficiaries in agrarian reform implementation and development for them to have equal access and control of CARP benefits and resources.

Chapter X, Section 40, Item 5 of Republic Act 6657 provides specific policy which the Department of Agrarian Reform is mandated to implement relative to the welfare of the women in the agrarian sector. It states that " all qualified women members of the agricultural labor force must be guaranteed and assured equal rights to ownership of the land, equal share of the farm produce and representation in advisory or appropriate decision-making bodies".

The DAR is likewise committed to abide by the empowerment and gender equity principles embodied in the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (1999-2004) or the "Angat Pinoy 2004". The MTPDP envisions that "the most vulnerable sectors of society shall be economically empowered by expanding their capabilities and opportunities to generate sustainable sources of income, propagating awareness for positive collective action, and increasing their participation in decision-making. All policies shall support gender equity the development process".

This Memorandum Circular provides the guidelines for the establishment and operations of DAR Women's Desks at all levels which were created by virtue of Special Order No. 302, Series of 2000, dated 27 March 2000.

The establishment of Women's Desks within the DAR organizational structure is envisioned to enhance the integration and mainstreaming of gender-responsive development initiatives into agrarian reform and rural development programs and projects.

Definition Of Terms

1. Women's Desk — is a function established within an existing unit in the national, regional, provincial and municipal levels to address gender-related issues and concerns in the agrarian sector.

2. GAD Focal Point — is the basic machinery in the Department of Agrarian Reform ensuring the integration and mainstreaming of gender concerns into its policies, programs and projects, personnel and enabling mechanisms.

3. Gender Mainstreaming — is the integration of gender concerns in the formulation and implementation of policies, programs and projects in agrarian reform and rural development.

4. Gender Issues — are the areas of concern that depict gender imbalances and inequities, and expose instances of gender discrimination. These are the concerns that need to be addressed to overcome the generally subordinate position of women in society and relate to women's empowerment. CcTIDH

Establishment And Operating Procedures

1. A Women's Desk shall be established in every DAR municipal, provincial, and regional offices and in every bureau/office in the Central Office and shall be managed by DAR women personnel designated by their respective heads of offices i.e. MAROs, PAROs and Regional/Bureau Directors and duly confirmed by the DAR Central Office through the issuance of a Special Order. In the case of Central Office, the incumbent members of the GAD Technical Working Group (TWG) shall automatically be designated as women's desk officers of their respective bureaus/offices.

2. At DAR Central Office, a National Women's Desk shall be established at the UMA Peasant Center and shall be under the administrative supervision of the Chairperson, National Steering Committee. The Bureau Women's Desk Officers (BWDOs) shall take charge of the National Women's Desk on a rotation basis; shall maintain a daily logbook of walk-in and referred clients (Annex "A"); and shall submit a monthly consolidated report using the prescribed format (Annex "B") to the Chairperson, National Steering Committee thru the Chairperson, GAD Technical Working Group.

3. The Municipal Women's Desk Officer (MWDO) shall be under the administrative supervision of the MARO, and shall coordinate closely with and submit monthly accomplishment report (Annex "B") to the Provincial Women's Desk Officer.

4. The Provincial Women's Desk Officer (PWDO) shall be under the administrative supervision of the PARO and shall coordinate closely with the Provincial GAD Focal Point. She shall consolidate, analyze, and submit a monthly summary of MWDO reports (same format as Annex "B") to the Provincial GAD Focal Point and the Regional Women's Desk Officer.

5. The Regional Women's Desk Officer (RWDO) shall be under the administrative supervision of the Regional Director and shall coordinate closely with the Regional GAD Focal Point. She shall consolidate, analyze and submit a summary of PWDO reports (same format as Annex "B") to the Regional GAD Focal Point on a monthly basis.

6. The Regional GAD Focal Point shall provide the necessary support to the Regional, Provincial and Municipal Women's Desks, monitor their performance, and submit monthly report to the National GAD Focal Point thru the Chairperson, National Steering Committee.

Functions

The National, Regional, Provincial and Municipal Women's Desks shall provide assistance to walk-in clients (i.e. DAR women ARBs/employees and their household members) relative to gender issues. Each Womens' Desk Officer shall:

1. Receive, record and document complaints/issues and gather relevant information pertaining to the complaint.

2 Assess issues/complaints and determine/recommend appropriate action, i.e.:

a) counseling;

b) answer query/provide information regarding gender concerns;

c) refer to DAR bureau/office or to other agency concerned if complaint/concern is outside the jurisdiction of DAR; AECDHS

3. Monitor referred cases through follow ups with concerned DAR bureaus/offices and other agencies/institutions regarding progress of the case;

4. Submit regular reports to the appropriate Desk Officers/GAD Focal Points (National, Regional or Provincial level);

5. Assist GAD focal point in the conduct of monitoring and evaluation of gender issues;

6. Assist in gender advocacy work; and

7. Attend/participate in GAD-related activities, seminars and trainings, and assessment-workshops.

Finding Source

Funds for the establishment and operation of the DAR Women's Desks shall be sourced out from allocation for Gender and Development (GAD) of the Department provided for under the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Effectivity

All previous issuances inconsistent herewith are hereby amended, modified and/or repealed accordingly. This memorandum circular takes effect immediately.

24th of January 2001, Diliman, Quezon City.

(SGD.) CONRADO S. NAVARRO
Acting Secretary

ANNEX A

WOMEN'S DESK LOG BOOK

DATE : ______________________________________________________________

NAME : _____________________________________________________________

ADDRESS : __________________________________________________________

IF DAR EMPLOYEE, OFFICE: _______________________________

POSITION: _____________________________

IF ARB, LOCATION OF FARMHOLDING: ________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

IF NOT AN ARB, RELATION TO ARB: ___________________________________

AGE: _______________________________________________________________

STATUS: ____________________________________________________________

COMPLAINTS/ISSUES RAISED:

_____________________________________________________________________

ACTION REQUESTED:

_____________________________________________________________________

ACTION TAKEN:

_____________________________________________________________________

____________________

OFFICER OF THE DAY

ANNEX B

WDFORM1-B

NARRATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORT

— OUTLINE —

I. INTRODUCTION

II. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS (Where are we now?)

A. Review of Statistics

B. Emerging Gender Issues and Concerns

C. Performance Analysis (Targets vs. Accomplishments) and Gap Identification (For the Previous Month and Per Cumulative Status)

D. Findings

III. OBJECTIVES/PRIORITIES FOR THE INCOMING MONTH (Where do we intend to go?)

A. Priorities Based on Emerging Scenarios/Trends

B. Gender Milestones/Objectives on Priorities

1. For the ARBs

2. For the Personnel HaTISE

IV. STRATEGIES/PLAN OF ACTION (How do we intend to go there?)

A. Key Strategies

B. Action Plan

1. Projects/Activities

2. Timeframe

3. Resource Requirements

HELP CENTER

CONTACT INFORMATION

Department of Agrarian Reform
Elliptical Road, Diliman
Quezon City, Philippines

Copyright Information

HELP CENTER

CONTACT INFORMATION

Department of Agrarian Reform Elliptical Road, Diliman Quezon City, Philippines

Copyright Information

Department of Agrarian Reform
Elliptical Road, Diliman
Quezon City, Philippines