CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (February 20, 2026, 6:12 pm) – The provincial government of Bukidnon launched a gender and development tool on Friday aimed at modernizing public service and ensuring equality in access to programs and projects

During the commencement of a three-day training for key staff and officials, Provincial Administrator Cherry Pepito said the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines (HGDG) tool will help mainstream gender equality across the provincial bureaucracy.

“This is our tool to strengthen the commitment to gender equality and inclusive development,” Pepito said.

The HGDG tool, developed by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development and the Philippine Commission on Women, provides checklists to analyze gender issues and evaluate whether projects meet gender requirements during design, implementation, and monitoring.

Provincial officials said the training reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring that development initiatives are gender-responsive and inclusive.

The tool is designed to help agencies identify and address potential gender gaps, ensuring that both women and men benefit equally from public programs and services. (Nef Luczon/PNA)