Gender issues such as inequality, discrimination, stereotyping, sexual harassment, and other misogynistic practices continue to affect both the Philippines and the world. Recognizing the detrimental impact these issues have on workplace culture and productivity, the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) is committed to addressing these concerns, creating a conducive environment for both the CEZA workplace and the broader Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport (CSEZFP) community.

CEZA’s gender and development (GAD) policy aligns with Republic Act No. 9710, or the Magna Carta of Women, which promotes participation, empowerment, equity, sustainability, a violence-free environment, and respect for self-determination and self-actualization. CEZA’s goal is to foster gender equality by empowering women, promoting equal opportunities, and ensuring access to resources and development outcomes. For years, gender mainstreaming has been incorporated into CEZA’s systems, structures, policies, and programs, eliminating discrimination at every level.

To ensure the effective implementation and monitoring of GAD programs, CEZA established the GAD Committee, known as the GAD Focal Point System (GFPS). Reconstituted in August 2024, the committee strengthens the organization’s ability to mainstream gender across all activities. The GFPS ensures CEZA meets the standards set by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) as outlined in PCW Memorandum Order No. 2011-01. This team is responsible for overseeing GAD-related initiatives, implementing measures to reinforce the GAD Monitoring and Evaluation System, and facilitating GAD planning, budgeting, and project implementation.

Regular GFPS meetings, such as the ones held on September 10 and November 25, 2024, focus on addressing gender issues, planning for GAD activities, and ensuring that CEZA’s programs and budget meet gender-responsive standards. These discussions help CEZA design programs that align with gender equality goals and enhance women’s empowerment within the organization and the community.

To further build capacity, CEZA also organizes training for GFPS members and other officials on gender mainstreaming. The most recent training was held on November 20, 2024, featuring a Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines Workshop (HGDG) facilitated by Mr. Mac Paul Alariao, a certified member of the PCW National GAD Resource Pool from DSWD Field Office II in Tuguegarao City.

CEZA also supports national GAD advocacy campaigns that raise awareness of various gender-related issues and promote social change. A significant campaign CEZA has supported annually since 2018 is the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW), observed from November 25 to December 12. This initiative strengthens CEZA personnel’s awareness of VAW and other forms of discrimination, ensuring the organization’s continuous commitment to these causes.

Through these efforts, CEZA continues to implement gender mainstreaming initiatives that support gender equality and women’s empowerment, not only within the CSEZFP but across the Philippines.

Aligned with CEZA’s efforts to maintaining a diverse and safe working environment, the Two-Day Deepening Session and Write-Shop on the Use of Gender-Fair Language in Official Government Communications and Publications was successfully conducted on July 7-8, 2022, at the Fort Ilocandia Resort and Hotel.

Facilitated by Women and Gender Institute (WAGI) champions, Prof. Stella Eloisa Marquez-Fong and Prof. Lalaine P. Viado, the two-day write-shop has deepened the understanding and application of gender-fair language in official government communications and publications. The activity commenced with a seminar, followed by a writing workshop.

The two-day session aims to continue CEZA’s efforts to reduce gender stereotyping and discrimination dahil #SaCEZAKabahagiKa!

The Cagayan Economic Zone Authority plays a high ball in achieving gains towards attaining gender equality and empowerment for all in this year’s National Women’s Month (NWM) Celebration. CEZA hosted two (2) events from 30-31 March 2022, particularly the Orientation on the Basic Principles of Gender and Development and Women’s Month Trivia Games, as part of the closing activities for the NWMC. These events aim to increase the awareness of CEZA-assisted group members and newly-hired CEZA employees on the basic gender-related concepts and assess the level of understanding of the CEZA employees on the Gender and Development (GAD) principles and strategies they have learned over the past six months.

This activity was attended by fifty-eight (58) females and seven (7) males from CEZA-Assisted Organizations, and nine (9) female and twenty (20) male newly-hired CEZA employees. Amongst the people’s organizations that attended are Palaui Environmental Protectors Association (PEPA), Buacag Eco-Tourism Association (BETA), Rural Improvement Club (RIC), Casambalangan-Rapuli Environmental Protectors Association (CREPA), Pananacpan Eco-Tourism Association (PETA), Farmer’s Association (FA), Kulinarya de Casagan, Palaui Reef Rangers, Palaui Tour Guides, Palaui Weavers, Palaui Homestay Owners’ Associations, and members of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Sta. Ana. Overall, the activity was attended by sixty-five (65) participants from different peoples’ organizations and CEZA employees. The orientation was held last March 30, 2022, at the Blue Coast Hotel, Sta. Ana, Cagayan from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Mr. Mac Paul V. Alariao, RN, RSW, Project Development Officer III from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and also a certified member of the seventh batch National GAD Resource Pool (NGRP) of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) served as the resource speaker during the orientation. In his discussion, Mr. Alariao covered topics on the (1) difference between sex and gender; (2) the difference between sex roles and gender roles;(3) different social institutions that shape and influence gender identity; (4) the effects of uneven gender dynamics on the day-to-day lives of people; and (5) effects of gender issues on the social, economic and financial development of men and women.

In his presentation, Mr. Alariao highlighted the importance of knowing the difference between sex and gender and being mindful of the effects of assigning gender roles in shaping the identity of children. He also stressed the roles and responsibilities of CEZA as one of the key stakeholders that should ensure the incorporation and proliferation of the GAD approach in the development ventures within the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport (CSEZFP).

The learnings imparted by Mr. Alariao were highly appreciated by the participants from the CEZA Assisted Organizations. Members of the CEZA POs gladly participated in the structured learning exercises and openly shared their opinions on topics related to the difference between sex and gender.

At the end of the event, members of the CEZA POs expressed their desire to deepen their knowledge and understanding of GAD principles. CEZA representatives vowed to continuously support the capacity development of CEZA Assisted Organizations on GAD.

To spark the spirit of teamwork and unity, members of the CEZA GAD Focal Point System (GFPS), spearheaded by the Community Affairs and Development Division (CADD), devised a game to hark back to the learnings from the GAD pieces of training that CEZA employees have received over the last six months.

The objective of the game is to review and revisit learnings from the GAD seminars and trainings as well as to ignite synergy and cooperation amongst the CEZA employees.

This activity was conducted last 31 March 2022. It was participated by seventy-six (76) employees from CEZA Sta. Ana, Tuguegarao and Mandaluyong offices. Each office assembled three (3) groups of eight (8) members. The groups from each office competed amongst themselves. The group with the highest score emerged as the unit/office champion. A group from each office was crowned as champions at the end of the game. Questions asked during the match were hailed from topics related to the usage of non-sexist language, preparation of the GAD Plan and Budget (GPB) and GAD Accomplishment Report (GAD AR), application of the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines (HGDG), and the history of the women’s month celebration.

Before the game commenced, Mr. Leonardo C. Cruz, Head Technical Assistant / OIC Cagayan Offices and Vice Chairperson of the GFPS delivered his Women’s Month Closing Remarks.

Participants from all CEZA Offices actively engaged and enjoyed the trivia game. While the general atmosphere conveyed elements of lightness and camaraderie, CEZA employees were still able to increase their understanding of the proper and judicious implementation of GAD in the government. Employees from all CEZA offices shared a collective insight after the event: “Even if we were just playing a game, we still learned a lot, especially on topics on the foresightful use of GAD funds.”

In conclusion, the Celebration of the National Women’s Month in CEZA has been a journey filled with learning, fun, and excitement.

Participated by more than three hundred-thirty (330) employees from the CEZA offices in Santa Ana, Tuguegarao, Cagayan, and Mandaluyong City, the Opening Activity for the National Women’s Month celebration entitled “Seminar on the Historical Context of the Women’s Month” was successfully held today, March 15, 2022, virtually via Zoom and face-to-face in Sta. Ana Municipal Gymnasium, from 9:30 am to 12:00 noon. In his opening statement, Mr. Leonardo Cruz, OIC of CEZA Cagayan Offices and Vice-Chairperson of the GAD focal point system, emphasized the importance of celebrating women’s month in society, stressing: “We celebrate this event because it commemorates the efforts that women have done to achieve equal rights in suffrage, compensation, and legal representation through the course of history.” He also added that “While we have gained considerable outcomes in terms of uplifting the economic and social standing of women and other oppressed groups, there is still a lot of work to be done such as changing the perception and mindset of people on the relevance and importance of GAD as a perspective anchored on rights-based and people-centered development.”

The program was spearheaded by Dr. Eleanor Belizar, a member of the National GAD Resource Pool of the Philippine Commission on Women,presenting the timeline and history of celebrating women’s month in the country and feminism all over the world. The seminar also highlightedthe contributions of remarkable women in Philippine society, includingTeresita “Ging” Quintos Deles, who helped mother women’s organizations such as FILIPINA, Women’s Action Network for Development (WAND), and Legislative Advocates for Women (LAW), Karina Constantino-David who was part of the female duo Inang Laya, and Sister Mary John Mananzan, the founder of the Institute of Women’s Studies of St. Scholastica’s College and co-founder of FILIPINA, the first consciously feminist organization in the Philippines. Organized by the CEZA Gender and Development (GAD) focal point system, the opening program for the month-long celebration was also attended by several assisted groups and associations such as the Palaui Environmental Protectors Association, Palaui Island Spa, Palaui Homestay, Palaui San Vicente Motorboat Association, Kulinarya De Casagan, Buwacag Eco-Tourism Association, Pananacpan Eco-Tourism Association, Casambalangan-Rapuli Environmental Protectors Association, Diora-Zinungan BeltFishing Association, Santa Ana Hotel Resort, and Restaurant Association, other civil society organizations (CSOs) such as Sta. Cruz Women’s Fisherfolk Association, Federation of Farmers Association, Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council, Rural Improvement Club, and Barangay VAW Desk Officers from sixteen (16) barangays, showing their great interest and support to the whole community of empowered women all over the country.

Celebrating with all empowered women empowering women in the country, abante, Babae, dahil #SaCEZAKabahagiKa!

#WomenMakeChange #IWD2022 #BabaeNaman

Mandaluyong City, March 6, 2020- CEZA joins the nationwide observation of the 2020 National Women’s Month this March to be spearheaded by the CEZA Advocates for Gender Equality. CEZA Mandaluyong employees headed by Deputy Administrator Agrimero Cruz joined the kick-off program for the celebration in time for the International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 8.

In his opening remarks, DA Cruz emphasized that…“In the spirit of inclusion and economic empowerment, I encourage each one of you to continue strengthening your capacities in mainstreaming gender and development in CEZA and to be active agents of change contributing to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all.

The organization likewise invited an advocate for gender and development speaker who belongs to the list of endless female strengths and power, a Gender and Development Consultant and Trainer, a reviewer for the endorsement of GAD Accomplishment Reports and GAD Plan and Budget proposals of national and sub-national government agencies, Ms. Nela Santiago.

Ms. Santiago talked about various situation on violence against women and children and with her better intuition, patience, emotional focus and compassion to her undertakings in calling women and men advocates to advance women’s rights and gender equality, break gender stereotypes and stop gender-based violence and discrimination against women, it is her aim to be able to continue in reaching out in bringing the pressing concerns and issues not only of women and men but also the youth and LGBT sectors as well.

CEZA is one with all women in their efforts to promote gender equality and women empowerment, and to protect the rights of women all over the world.