APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE FRAMEWORK PLAN FOR WOMEN [2001-2004] AND INTENSIFYING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 5% BUDGET PROVISION FOR GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

WHEREAS , Section 14, Article II of the
Constitution provides “The
State recognizes the role of women in nation-building, and shall ensure
the fundamental equality before the law of women and men”;

WHEREAS , Republic Act No. 7192 entitled “Women in
Development and
Nation Building Act” mandating agencies to ensure that women benefit
equally and participate directly in the development programs and
projects of government, and Executive Order No. 273 series of 1995
entitled “Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development (PPGD)
1995-2025″ were signed pursuant to the Constitutional proviso;

WHEREAS , Executive Order No. 273 mandates and authorizes
the
National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW) to coordinate
and monitor the implementation of the PPGD;

WHEREAS , the General Appropriations Act from 1995 to the
present,
mandates all departments including their attached agencies, offices,
bureaus, agencies, state universities and colleges, government-owned and
controlled corporations (GOCCs), and other government
instrumentalities, to formulate a Gender and Development (GAD) Plan, the
cost of which shall be at least five percent (5%) of the agency’s total
budget appropriations;

WHEREAS , NCRFW was directed by the President to formulate a

Framework Plan for Women to advance and guarantee the concretization of
the policy on women and development women’s empowerment and gender
equality and equity;

WHEREAS , the Framework Plan for Women is a time-slice of
the
Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development (PPGD), 1995-2025 and
shall serve as a guide for national government agencies and Local
Government Units in the formulation of their respective GAD Plans and
budgets;

WHEREAS , the Framework Plan for Women, 2001-2004 was
formulated
after a series of consultations, coordination and cooperation with
various government agencies, non-government organizations, local
government units, and members of the academe.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO , President of
the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby
order and direct the following:

SECTION 1. Framework Plan for Women . – There shall be a
Framework
Plan for Women, 2001-2004 as finalized by the NCRFW, to be implemented
by all government agencies, departments, bureaus, offices, and
instrumentalities including government-owned and controlled corporations
(GOCCs), at the national, sub-national levels and local government
units through specific programs and projects;

SEC 2. Coordination and Reportorial Requirements. The
government
agencies and instrumentalities as earlier enumerated, shall submit their
GAD Plan to NCRFW for review and endorsement to the Department of
Budget and Management (DBM);

They shall likewise submit their annual reports on the
implementation of the GAD Plan to the DBM, Congress, and the NCRFW
indicating the accomplishments and amounts utilized/disbursed for the
projects and programs;

SEC 3. Lead Agency. The NCRFW in collaboration with
concerned
agencies of government shall undertake activities for its dissemination,
overseeing, monitoring and assessment on the implementation of the
Framework Plan for Women, 2001-2004 and shall monitor agency compliance
with the GAD Budget Policy. For this purpose, the NCRFW shall be
provided with the necessary resources and organizational capability to
carry out these functions.

SEC 4. Role of Oversight Agencies. The NCRFW, in close
coordination with:

4.1 The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
shall
strengthen the implementation of the Framework Plan for Women by
incorporating its concerns in the formulation of the Medium-Term
Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) Planning Guidelines;

4.2 The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) shall
institutionalize the GAD Budget policy in the yearly National
Expenditure Program and Local Budget Circular and other budgetary
guidelines;

4.3 The Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG) shall:

a) adopt the Framework Plan for Women provisions in the
issuance
of planning guidelines/directives to Local Government Units
(LGUs);
b) provide necessary technical assistance to facilitate mainstreaming
efforts and;
c) monitor the compliance of LGUs with the GAD Budget policy through
their GAD Plan and annual accomplishment reports.

SEC 5. Participation of the Civil Society and the Private
Sector –
Non-government organizations, Peoples Organizations and other Civil
Society Organizations and the Private Sector are urged to assist and
support the implementation, monitoring and assessment of the Framework
Plan for Women.

SEC 6. Funding. – The amount necessary for the
implementation of
the Framework Plan for Women shall be primarily charged against the 5%
GAD Budget of government agencies and local government units including
those sourced from bilateral/multilateral agencies/organizations or
those from the official development assistance (ODA).

SEC 7. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect
immediately.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , I have set my hand and caused the seal
of the Republic of the Philippines, to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 6th day of March, in the
year of Our Lord, two thousand and two.

(SGD.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

By the President:

(SGD.) ALBERTO G. ROMULO
Executive Secretary