LMB Conducts its Final Activity for 2023 National Women’s Month with Culminating Activity

The Gender and Development Focal Point System (GAD-FPS) of the Land Management Bureau (LMB) conducted a One-Day Culminating Activity as part of the celebration of 2023 Women’s Month on April 14, 2023, at the Hive Hotel. The activity includes the “GADakilaan ng Kawani Awards,” a search for the GAD champion across all LMB Divisions.

It was opened by the welcome remarks from LMB’s Assistant Director, Engr. Romeo P. Verzosa. He emphasized that the celebration aims to inspire women and girls to empower themselves and take on leadership roles, opportunities, and benefits toward maximizing their full potential and enabling them to reap the fruits of gender equality, to promote a society that ensures inclusion, protection of  fundamental freedoms, diversity, and social justice, and in which every individual, with rights and responsibilities, is capacitated and encouraged to take an active role to play.

Among the event’s invited guests is the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary (Usec) for Finance, Information Systems and Climate Change and Chairperson of the National Gender and Development Focal Point System, Atty. Analiza Rebuelta-Teh. In her message, she acknowledged LMB’s efforts on gender mainstreaming within the organization and the involvement of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Taguig in the celebration. The partnership will ensure that both women and men will benefit from the land administration and management programs of DENR, particularly in land titling. And although GAD has reached this far, Atty. Rebuelta-Teh believes that there is still much to accomplish and that gender-responsive budgeting, planning, and development of policies and programs should be in place.

The LMB-GAD Chairperson, Ms. Maria Gina F. Pascua, mentioned during her delivery of the milestones and 2023 GAD activities that the culminating activity is an opportunity to reflect on the road ahead to totally close the gap in gender equality. Ms. Pascua also mentioned that LMB is a women-empowered institution with women comprising 55% of the total workforce as of December 31, 2022, and of course, with the first woman Director of the Bureau, Atty. Emelyne V. Talabis.

Highlighted in the culminating program was the GADakilaan 2023 wherein Ms. Wilma G. Co was hailed as the champion. Ms. Co narrated her inspiring story and shared how she overcame the challenges she faced with her family through resilience and courage.

The GADakilaan ng Kawani concluded with Ms. Wilma G. Co won first place, Ms. Ana Nichol Elizalde won second place, and Mr. Domar Casildo won 3rd place.

The panel of judges is composed of the LMB Director, Atty. Emelyne V. Talabis, the Assistant Secretary (Asec) for Field Operations–Eastern Mindanao, Asec Ruth M. Tawantawan, and the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau’s GAD Chairperson, Dr. Marilyn Q. Lalican.

Further in the program, the winner of the previous GAD activity, the Poster-Making competition, was also announced with Mr. Alfred Peralta of the Administrative Support Staff in first place, Mr. Earl Joseph Maralit of LPPD in second place, and Mr. Domar Casildo of LMD in third place.

The Culminating activity concluded with the LMB Director’s closing message. Atty. Emelyne V. Talabis encouraged all the LMB employees present in the activity to continue doing the job with a nurturing spirit to the culture of the Bureau. She added that the activity has yet again shown the capability of the office to deliver in an environment where one can freely express oneself.