DAVAO CITY—The City Government was recognized Tuesday as a Gender and Development Learning Hub from 2018 to 2020 by the Philippine Commission on Women for its programs championing gender mainstreaming.
The Philippine Commission on Women is a national agency under the Office of the President.
On Tuesday, the Local Learning Hub plaque was presented to city officials led by Mayor Sara Duterte.
Davao City has previously been awarded a certification on gender mainstreaming in the year 2015. Before the end of 2017, the awarding committee came to visit Davao to validate the city’s practice of gender mainstreaming.
Among the notable programs that the city offers include the establishment of the Integrated Gender and Development Division, Office of the Special Counsel on Violence Against Women and their Children, Child Minding Center, and the Operationalization of the Ray of Hope Village.
Lorna Mandin, the head of the Integrated Gender and Development Division, said the PCW identified Davao City’s programs as innovative and unique, which was a big factor in choosing the city as awardee under the GAD learning hub category.
“Innovation is their basis for giving the recognition. These programs are not undertaken in other places, it’s only in Davao,” she said.
Mandin added it was no surprise that Davao will be recognized because the city pioneered the Women Development Code, the first of its kind in the entire Philippines.
She also added that the city has a lot of active women Non-government Organization and the collaboration with them is very strong.
Mandin believes that the award will attract more people to visit the city.