Search for 25 WEGE awardees on

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – The Provincial Government of Negros Occidental is currently searching for 25 individuals and organizations for its Abanse Negrense Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Award.

Marie June Castro, action officer of the Provincial GAD Focal Point System, said the Abanse Negrense WEGE Award is part of the P2.4-million GAD Awards and Incentives project under the Office of the Governor.

The 25 WEGE awardees will each receive a plaque and P 20,000 cash as support for their GAD project or activity and will be featured in a publication to be produced by the province.

Nominees for the WEGE Awards can be male or female Negrenses, groups, associations, institutions or foundations based in Negros Occidental.

Bacolod City-based individuals, whose parents are from any of the component city or municipality of the Province are also qualified to be nominated as long as they have implemented WEGE projects or advocacy and actions on a provincial scale, or covered at least five LGUs of the province.

Nominees should have at least five years of consistent service on WEGE, working on any of the 12 critical areas of concerns of the Beijing Platform for Action such as women and poverty, education and training of women, women and health, violence against women, women and armed conflict, women and the economy, women in power and decision-making, institutional mechanisms, human rights of women, women and media, women and the environment, and the girl child.

Contributions to the attainment of the Philippine Plan for a Gender-Responsive Development will also be considered.

Government employees may be nominated even if their official designation, functions or positions are on women and GAD concerns, as long as supporting documents will show that they work on WEGE beyond the call of duty.

Nomination forms are available at the Governor’s Office and can also be downloaded from the Negros Occidental Prov’l GAD Focal Point System Facebook page.

Hard copies of the signed nomination form and supporting documents should be submitted to the Office of the Governor, while soft copies should be emailed to: negoccgad@gmail.com on or before October 25, 2021.

Supporting documents should include a citation of the nominee’s qualifications highlighting contributions to women empowerment and gender equality deserving of recognition (not more than 750 words); proof of achievements or contribution to WEGE such as copy of certificates, photos of plaques, clips of published articles, awards or recognition received, and an updated curriculum vitae.

Also to be submitted are the high quality, close-up shot photo of the nominee with white background, action photos related to the nominee’s work on WEGE, and endorsement from any of the marginalized women sectors/associations the nominees have worked with such as farmers, fisherfolks, workers in the formal and informal economy, urban poor, solo parents, rural women, indigenous people, PWDs, migrant workers, senior citizens, and girls.

Evaluation criteria include length of work and quality and impact of contribution to WEGE, magnitude of efforts or number of beneficiaries reached, sustainability of interventions, and presentation of supporting documents submitted.

Other searches under the GAD Awards and Incentives project launched last month were the Abanse Negrense GAD Awards for Women in Sports, Governor’s Youth Leadership Excellence/Resilience Award, and Recognition for Women in Agriculture and Rural Development or REWARD of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist.

On-going searches prior to the Sept. 15 launch were the Governor’s Conservationist Awards of the Provincial Environment and Management Office, and Liso Kabuhi Ko Round 1 and 2 Home and Community Vegetable Gardening Contest which is a joint initiative of the Provincial Council for Women, Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Women and Family, and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office.

The PGFPS Awards for Champions and Companions for the 2021 Gender Journey is also included in the project.