Manila:The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will collaborate to issue a new policy guiding the use of the Fiscal Year 2027 Gender and Development (GAD) budget. This initiative aims to enhance accountability among agencies for their spending practices related to gender issues.

According to Philippines News Agency, this announcement follows a review by PCW Executive Director Nharleen Santos-Millar and DBM acting Secretary Kim Robert De Leon of the 2024 GAD budget reports from national government agencies. The review focused on how funds were utilized and identifying any implementation gaps.

The forthcoming joint policy will specify which expenses are eligible under the GAD budget, direct funds toward priority gender issues, and establish metrics for measuring outcomes. Additionally, the agencies plan to streamline the preparation of GAD plans and budgets, while expanding the use of the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines for government programs and projects, extending to Fiscal Year 2028 Tier 2 budget proposals.

A significant development includes the DBM's upcoming launch of a Gender Accountability Dashboard. This tool will monitor agency compliance with GAD budget requirements, ensuring that gender equality priorities are reflected in government budget decisions and translated into effective implementation. Santos-Millar emphasized the importance of DBM's role in reinforcing GAD Budget preparation, execution, and accountability to achieve meaningful results through public spending.