kaban galing - front cover - galing pook

The program also led to increased access to health services. Special
focus is given to the provision of reproductive health services in addition
to other regular health services (free medicines and consultations, etc.).
Family planning services were offered in cooperation with an nongovernment
organizayion. Compulsory hilot (traditional birth attendant)
trainings and refresher courses for all 24 hilots were conducted annually
to address childbirth related infections. This training lessened maternal
mortality.
There was also an increase in the reporting of VAWC cases. The
intensive anti-VAWC campaign encouraged the women victims to report
their ordeal, while the men were deterred from harming their wives
because of the threat of detention. The number of habitual VAW
perpetrators decreased by 98%. There was also a marked improvement
in gender relations among the women and men who attended gender
consciousness-raising activities.
Women legislators, people’s organization representatives and the
youth sector now collectively formulate recommendatory policies that
significantly influence barangay and municipal policies. For instance,
during the Barangay Women Legislators’ Conference Series, the allfemale
participants drafted legislative and policy recommendations
which they later presented to the mayor and the sangguniang bayan in a
public ceremony that culminated in commitment signing.
Partnership arrangements have generated well-defined LGU-NGO-
PO-business sector involvement based on the principles of openness,
mutual respect, cooperation and consensus decision-making. There is
a healthy relationship between the partners in the implementation of
projects.
Political Will and Sustainability
One major factor in the program’s sustainability is political will. The mayor
was very firm and determined in pushing Pro-GAD as the municipality’s
core program. She also matched this determination with appropriate
resources from the mandated 5% GAD budget as well as from the
municipality’s own budget.
The significant gains were also due to the investments made in
people who were direct GAD implementers. Continuing capacity building
for program staff and direct implementers was a major institutional focus.
To help the staff cope with the new challenges, new knowledge and skills
134 Kaban Galing