Quezon City: pioneer in promoting gender equality in local governance


By LCP Secretariat
February 26, 2021 - Quezon City


For many years now, the Quezon City Government has been paving the way for local governments in advocating for gender equality as translated in its policies and programs. Having established its Gender and Development (GAD) Office as early as 2001, the city has already been on a long journey towards improving the lives of its constituents across genders.

 

In 2019, Quezon City was recognized and awarded by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) as the first GAD Local Learning Hub (GAD LLH) in the National Capital Region for 2019-2022. PCW commended the city's social hygiene clinics – Klinika Bernardo, Klinika Batasan, and Klinika Project 7. These health facilities provide comprehensive sexual health care for people living with HIV/AIDS and other sexual-related diseases. Also known as sundown clinics, these operate until late in the evening to cater more clientele.

 

Another accredited GAD LLH of the city is the Quezon City Protection Center, a one-stop shop for victims and survivors of gender-based violence located in Quezon City General Hospital. The Center attends to the medical, psychological, and legal needs of the victims and survivors, mostly women, children, and LGBTQIAs.

 

Both the social hygiene clinics and the protection center benefit greatly from the city's GAD Fund. In 2018, Quezon City government allotted 10\% of its total budget for GAD Fund, double the amount of the required allocation of local governments for GAD. The fund also supports the operations of the local government-run hospitals: the Novaliches District Hospital, Quezon City General Hospital, and the Rosario Maclang-Bautista General Hospital.

 

Apart from providing basic services, Quezon City also ensured that GAD will be reflected and presented in its policies. Among the notable GAD-related local ordinances and policies of the city are the SOGIE Ordinance, Gender Fair Ordinance, and the monumental localized version of the Bawal Bastos Law or the Safe Spaces Act, the city's Anti-Catcalling and Sexual Harassment in Public Space which came as an amendment to the city's GAD Code. This came after Quezon City was chosen as among the pilot sites of UN Women's Safe Cities Metro Manila Programme which aims to improve the safety of women from sexual abuse and harassment, particularly in public places.

 

Quezon City provides an enabling environment to demonstrate how GAD is a cross-cutting development agenda which should not be left behind. The city demonstrates to its constituents the importance of respecting genders and having safe spaces.

 

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