Recognition of 2024 Top-Performing Agencies in the GAD Budget 25

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

In the grand halls of Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, history was written not in whispers, but in thunderous applause. September 25th, 2025, marked more than just another bureaucratic gathering—it was a clarion call that echoed through the corridors of power, announcing that the fight for gender equality had found its unlikely heroes in the most traditional of places: government agencies.

Picture this: The very institutions often criticized for their sluggish pace and bureaucratic red tape suddenly transformed into champions of change. The Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Health, and the Department of Foreign Affairs—names that typically evoke images of endless paperwork—now stood as beacons of hope in the Gender and Development (GAD) Budget implementation.

This wasn't just a recognition ceremony; it was a revolution disguised as a formal event. Behind every statistic, every budget allocation, every policy implementation lies a story of countless women and marginalized communities whose lives hang in the balance. When Undersecretary Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega and Assistant Secretary Janet P. Armas took the stage, they weren't just presenting reports—they were presenting proof that change is possible within the system.

The press conference that followed wasn't merely about transparency; it was about accountability to a nation watching, waiting, and demanding that gender equality move from aspiration to action. In those crucial moments between 3:30 and 4:30 PM, government officials faced the ultimate test: defending not just their budgets, but their commitment to half of the population they serve.

This was the day when bureaucracy met its match—when the relentless pursuit of gender equity proved that even the most entrenched systems can bend toward justice.

September 25, 2025 | 1:00 - 4:30 pm Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, Ballroom A, Ortigas Ave, Corner Asian Development Bank Ave, Quezon City

Schedule:

1:00 PM - 1:30 PM: Registration

1:30 PM - 1:45 PM: Preliminaries

Invocation

National Anthem

Recognition of Agencies

Hosts:

Maria Crisandra Y Abanto, Gender and Development Specialist I

Janssen Micah E. Fajardo, Gender and Development Specialist II

1:45 PM - 2:00 PM: Opening Remarks Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla, Philippine Commission on Women (PCW)

2:00 PM - 2:10 PM: Video Presentation on the 2024 GAD Budget

2:10 PM - 3:00 PM: Presentation of Recognitions Presenters:

PCW Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla

PCW Executive Director Nharleen Santos-Millar

Former PCW Chairperson Imelda M. Nicolas

3:00 PM - 3:15 PM: Interventions from the Top 3 performing agencies

Asec. Janet P. Armas, Assistant Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development

Dr. Juan Alfonso R. Perez IV, Division Chief of the Health Planning Division, Health Policy Development and Planning Bureau, Department of Health

Usec. Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Undersecretary for Administration and Chairperson of the GFPS Executive Committee, Department of Foreign Affairs

3:15 PM - 3:20 PM: Closing Remarks

Atty. Richard Palpal-Latoc, Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights (CHR)

3:20 - 3:30 PM: Health Break for Press Conference

PRESS CONFERENCE Room: Emerald B, Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria

3:30 PM - 3:35 PM: Introduction of the Resource Persons and Members of the Press Ms. Nicole Montesines, Moderator, Philippine Commission on Women (PCW)

3:35 PM - 3:40 PM: Opening Statement Atty. Ma. Sophia Isabella P. De Castro, Attorney III, PCW

3:40 PM - 3:55 PM: Statement from Top Performing Agencies and Members of the Panel:

Asec. Janet P. Armas, Assistant Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development

Asec. Vinel A. Beltran, Assistant Secretary, Department of Agrarian Reform

Usec. Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Undersecretary for Administration and Chairperson of the GFPS Executive Committee, Department of Foreign Affairs

3:55 PM - 4:25 PM: Question and Answer session with the Press

4:25 PM - 4:30 PM: Closing Statement Executive Director Nharleen Santos-Millar, Philippine Commission on Women (PCW)

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