COA lauds CDC’s GAD compliance

CLARK FREEPORT— The Commission on Audit (COA) lauded Clark Development Corporation (CDC) for its compliance with Gender and Development (GAD) programs and initiatives.

During the COA Exit Conference held recently, the CDC management was commended for its efforts to fulfill its GAD objectives and for allocating substantial funds for various GAD activities for the year 2021.

“We commend the (CDC) Management for allocating substantial funds for its GAD-related activities in pursuit of its mandate towards the attainment of the GAD objectives”, COA sai d .

COA further cited that the “CDC earmarked P308.60 million for its GAD-related activities, representing 6.20 percent of the total revised budget of the year, which made the corporation (CDC) compliant with threshold prescribed under Republic Act 9710 or the Magna Carta for Women ( M CW) .”

Under Chapter 6 of R.A. 9710, government agencies and local government units (LGUs) GAD budgets should be at least five percent of their total budget appropriations.

All the previous years’audit observations on CDC’s GAD compliance have been fully addressed in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and COA which was seen as a remarkable feat for the state-owned firm.

The CDC management headed by its President and Chief Executive Officer Manuel Gaerlan thanked COA for the citation.

“The management thanked COA for its commendation of CDC’s GAD performance which was the result of a focused effort of the entire organization, with the GAD Focal Point System as Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR), to mainstream and attribute projects and activities to GAD and ensure its gender-responsiveness,” CDC said in a statement. The state-run corporation vowed to maintain its accomplishments and to continuously create programs that promote gender equality and development.