PCSC hosts ASEAN training on gender and HR

The Philippine Civil Service Commission (PCSC) conducted the ASEAN Training on Gender Mainstreaming in Human Resource Policies, Processes, and Systems on April 20, 2015 in Ortigas, Quezon City. This training is part of the 18^th Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) Conference on Civil Service Matters or ACCSM and the ASEAN Plus Three Work Plan.

The five-day training is designed to help HR practitioners in the ASEAN region mainstream gender initiatives in their respective civil service institutions. Learning service providers who have extensive experience and expertise on gender and development work in the ASEAN region handled the workshop sessions.

Training HR practitioners in gender mainstreaming is one way of fulfilling ASEAN member states’ obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA).

Moreover, the ACCSM recognizes the importance of establishing an ASEAN Community that is responsive to the needs of men and women. This can be done by strengthening human resource management and development mechanisms in civil service institutions or human resource departments.

In her opening remarks, PCSC Commissioner Nieves L. Osorio emphasized the importance of acting together to empower ASEAN nations’ civil service institutions in implementing gender mainstreaming, especially in their HR functions. “As mandated by the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint, the ACCSM has to promote ASEAN collaboration to strenghten governance, which I believe should be understood as one that is inclusive and gender-responsive,” she said.

Mainstreaming gender. HR practitioners from the ASEAN member states gather to train in gender mainstreaming. PCSC Commissioner Nieves L. Osorio (front row, 5th from L) poses with the participants of the ASEAN Training on Gender Mainstreaming in Human Resource Policies, Processes, and Systems.

“Notwithstanding differences among countries, I recognize that across the ASEAN region, the goal of advancing women’s participation and leadership in all spheres remains a challenge. But understanding gender equality and recognizing how gender mainstreaming approach can be applied in our work reaffirms the importance of women and their participation in development.”

The training also serves as venue to share good practices on gender mainstreaming among member countries, to document efforts on gender mainstreaming in HR to serve as benchmarking guide, and to develop a gender mainstreaming toolkit to be replicated by the participants in their home countries.

HR managers and officers from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Vietnam, and the ASEAN Secretariat participated in the training.

The participants were also treated to a cultural night where they arrived in their national costumes. PCSC Commissioner Osorio, along with Civil Service Institute Executive Director Arthur Luis P. Florentin, former PCSC Commissioner Mary Ann Fernandez-Mendoza, Philippine Commission on Women Chairperson Remedios Rikken and Executive Director Emmeline Verzosa also graced the event. n

CSC salutes all Juanas in Women’s Month

As one of the lead advocates for women’s empowerment and gender equality, the Civil Service Commission actively participated in the observance of the National Women’s Month.  Various activities were slated under this year’s theme, “Juana, Desisyon Mo ay Mahalaga sa Kinabukasan ng Bawat Isa, Ikaw Na!”

The CSC had a kick-off celebration during the first flag raising ceremony on March 2 with guest speaker, Professor Aurora de Dios from Miriam College.

CSC Commissioner Robert S. Martinez hands over a token of appreciation to Prof. Aurora de Dios of Miriam College.

CSC Gender Advocates (GADvocates) joined the National Kick-Off Celebration of International Women’s Day in the simultaneous street dance in Quezon City Memorial Circle on March 8.  The program celebrated achievements in empowering Juanas to step up, participate, and lead in different sectors.

Meanwhile, fun and revelry marked the CSC’s Piknik sa Kalikasan held last March 24.  Piknik is an annual tradition of the CSC that brings together all women and men to celebrate the gains in mainstreaming gender.

In her opening remarks during the Piknik, Commissioner Nieves L. Osorio urged CSC to strive harder to integrate gender equality not just in the workplace but in going through every day, adding, “Despite groups pushing for gender equality, we all know that sexual and gender-based violence continue. We all know that gender-related issues happen everyday, others even go unnoticed. As a public servant, have you asked yourself how you can help address gender issues, especially gender violence?”

CSC also participated in the Consciousness Training on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and held FGDs to discuss current gender issues and development.  CSC joined the Forum on Women in Leadership, Power and Decision-Making with the Philippine Commission on Women and the Pasig City Government on March 24 at the University of Pasig.

CSC remains faithful in its mandate as a policy making body for the country’s civil service, supporting gender mainstreaming and development. •

CSC celebrates Women’s Month 2014

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) took part again in the observance of the National Women’s Month themed “Juana, ang Tatag Mo ay Tatag Natin sa Pagbangon at Pagsulong!” As the nation’s premier human resource agency, CSC has been actively participating in policy making and various advocacy initiatives to promote women’s rights.

CSC GADvocates celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 at the Quirino Grandstand, Luneta Park, Manila.

Addressing officials and employees during the kick-off ceremony at the beginning of the month, CSC Chairman Francisco T. Duque III cited the importance of the role of men and women in upholding gender equity. “It is a call to recognize equity and fairness in a world where discrimination and violence thrive. While we emphasize women’s role in nation building, we also call on the men to be fellow advocates for the cause of gender equity,” Chairman Duque said.

Ten thousand participants from women’s groups, delegation from national and local government, academic institutions, and civil society organizations try to set a Guinness World Record of the most participated woman symbol formation during the kick-off activity of the 2014 Women’s Month celebration.

Countries around the world held relevant activities in celebration of the International Women’s Day on March 8. The CSC also joined the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) as it led the nation’s kick-off event, “The Women’s Human Symbol Forming,” held at the Quirino Grandstand with over 10,000 participants. The event attempted to set a world record of the world’s most participated women symbol forming event. CSC Gender and Development Advocates or GADvocates participated in the said event.

CSC also continues to ensure awareness of gender issues and concerns among its employees. A focus group discussion on gender mainstreaming in human resource management was held March 21 at the CSC Central Office. It aims to incorporate gender dimensions into the various HR initiatives of the Commission. The CSC also chairs the technical working group on Women and Leadership for the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) and participated in the recent meeting led by PCW to prepare the Philippine status report to the United Nations. This forms part of the CSC’s commitment to ensure 50-50 gender representation in managerial positions in government, as enshrined in Republic Act No. 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women.

On March 31, CSC will cap Women’s Month activities with the annual Piknik sa Kalikasan. The picnic brings together men and women of CSC to remind them of the CSC’s continuing commitment to Gender and Development (GAD). This year’s picnic will also serve as a venue to launch the new guidelines of the Gawad Kawayan, a recognition program for GAD champions in the CSC.n