MABALACAT CITY, Pampanga — The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) on May 15 awarded plaque and marker to Mabalacat City government as a re-certified Gender and Development (GAD) “Local Learning Hub” (LLH) for 2023 to 2026 and Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) as a GAD LLH for the same years.

Mabalacat City is the first local government unit in Central Luzon to be awarded and re-certified by PCW.

This is in connection to the outstanding promotion and implementation of GAD practices that aim to make every program gender-responsive, which significantly develops the lives of women and every gender preference in any age.

The city’s gender-responsive program “Early Childhood Care and Development” has notably contributed to building a strong foundation for gender-sensitive Mabalaquenian Kindergarten girls and boys.

“This award is a testament of the LGU’s consistent efforts to be a gender-responsive city. I assure my Kabalens that my support in keeping up with this goal will remain strong,” said Mayor Crisostomo Garbo after receiving the awards.

Mabalacat City has been assessed in January 27, 2022 by the Technical Services and Regional Coordination Division (TSRCD) of the PCW, and it was determined that the city met the requirements for recertification and deserving to receive the award and be replicated by other LGU’s for the city’s best practices.

Mayor Garbo received the awards along with Vice Mayor Gerald Aquino, city councilors Rox Peña, Jerry Magsino, Noel Castro, Cherry Manalo, Doc Cocoy Tiglao, and city administrator Franco Alejo Madlangbayan, department and unit heads, and government employees.

Also present in the awarding ceremony were Maria Kristina Josefina G. Balmes, Deputy Executive Director for Operations of PCW, and PCW delegates GAD chief specialist Nharleen Santos-Millar, GAD supervising specialist Kim Harold Peji, and GAD Ceremonial and Recertification and Awarding of GAD-Local Learning Hub Makers ECCD Program specialist Regine Carmelli Reyes.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Bernard Galang