The Gender Approach to Combating Poverty
Capoocan, Leyte

In Capoocan, addressing gender inequality is not just an intrinsic part of its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) program. It is the main program that aims to address, in the process, all the other challenges posed by the MDGs.

Fourth class municipality origins

Before the Program on Gender and Development of Capoocan (PRO GAD Capoocan) was implemented in 2001, Capoocan was just another 4th class municipality in Leyte struggling against poverty. Ninety percent (90%) of its population was poor. The poor had little access or control over land resources. The municipality did not have commercial nor industrial sectors to speak of.

Lacking skills and economic opportunities, the women of Capoocan were compelled to seek employment outside the town as house helpers or were forced into prostitution. Many of the women were economically dependent on their husbands who were barely able to provide for their families. The miserable situation often caused tensions within the household that ended in violence against women. These cases often went unreported by the women out of fear and shame.

Access to basic health and reproductive health services were very limited. And misconceptions about reproductive methods, child birth-related infections and maternal mortality were the norm.

The women had limited participation in governance. Of the 189 elective positions in the municipality, men occupied 133 or 70% of the elective positions. With no distinct women’s voice in the decision-making process, the limited resources of the municipality were spent for programs that did not necessarily address the needs of women. This also explains why the development programs were often infrastructure focused and were not helping address women issues.

Indeed, the situation was so bleak that the pursuit of development seemed impossible especially for a municipality with minimal resources such as Capoocan.

A new beginning

The attempt therefore of the local leadership to implement the Program on Gender and Development of Capoocan (PRO-GAD Capoocan) in 2001 was both noble and novel. It was noble because it aimed to address an issue that cuts deep among the womenfolk of Capoocan. It was novel because gender fairness and women empowerment did not figure in previous development programs in Capoocan. The mission under the PRO-GAD program was to turn Capoocan into a zone where the rights of women and children were protected.

PRO-GAD Capoocan was a comprehensive development program that employed participatory and gender-responsive governance as its basic framework. By opening various avenues for women participation in governance, PRO-GAD Capoocan consciously involved women in the whole development process. The PRO-GAD Capoocan program has the following as program components: community organizing; educational training; socio-economic and livelihood development; health, nutrition and reproductive health services; and a program opposing violence against women and children. The program covered all 21 barangays of the municipality and was funded through the 5% mandated GAD budget, both at the municipal and barangay levels.

To increase women’s participation in the development process, especially in development planning and budgeting, the municipality embarked on a program to help form and strengthen women organizations at the barangay and municipal levels. Efforts were also made to increase women’s participation in decision-making by reactivating the Barangay Development Councils (BDCs).

There are now women organizations in all 21 barangays of Capoocan and at the municipal level. By including existing people’s organizations (fisherfolk, senior citizens, and youth) and cooperatives in its organizing efforts, Capoocan’s leadership was able to reach more people and widen the support for its main advocacy of promoting gender equality and women empowerment. The reactivation of the BDCs gave women leaders the opportunity to assume an active role in the formulation of the Barangay Development Plan (BDP) and participate in the Annual Investment Planning, thus making it possible for GAD-related activities to be prioritized.

Gender-related consciousness-raising activities, as well as skills enhancement trainings were implemented. All municipal employees of the 21 barangays underwent gender sensitivity training (GST). They were also oriented about violence against women and children (VAWC) which included topics on anti-sexual harassment in the workplace, reproductive health and sexual rights, women economic empowerment, and basic legislation for barangay women’s legislators.
To address education concerns, the establishment of day care units were pursued. All the barangays have day care units, although only 11 have permanent structures.

Since poverty is the biggest problem in Capoocan and the biggest challenge posed by the MDGs, socio-economic development initiatives and livelihood programs were also pursued under the PRO-GAD Capoocan program. Women's groups and other sectoral organizations were given livelihood assistance that included entrepreneurship as well as activities that ensured household food security.

In addition to regular health services (i.e., free consultations and medicines) at the health centers, the municipality paid special attention to the delivery of reproductive health services. Free pap smear, family planning services, maternal child health and nutrition were given emphasis in cooperation with Marie Stopes, a non-government organization. Traditional birth attendants or hilots underwent compulsory trainings to address childbirth related infections and prevent child and maternal mortality. Municipal and barangay health workers also underwent capability enhancement trainings on disaster preparedness and reproductive health. In addition, reproductive health orientations were conducted among students and the out-of-school youth. Aware of the danger posed by the global pandemic Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases/infections (STDs/STIs), the municipality also conducted a massive information campaign on values-based sex education, and the dangers and prevention of AIDS and STI.

As mentioned earlier, violence against women was pervasive in Capoocan and was one of the main goals to be addressed by the PRO-GAD program. Since violence against women cases in the municipality ranged from verbal abuse and physical battery to rape, a host of intervention approaches (i.e., counseling, provision of temporary shelter, legal and financial assistance) under the Bantay Panimalay (Household Watch) program was implemented by the municipality. The municipality came up with its own “Women’s Danger Zone map,” which identified areas that were unsafe for women especially at night. The map was used to plan the street lighting program of the municipality and law enforcers were required to patrol the identified danger zones in the municipality.

Remarkable inroads

Today, Capoocan has made significant inroads through its PRO-GAD program both in addressing women’s issues and in responding to the MDGs. Women now have a voice and participate actively in local governing bodies.
As a result of the initiatives, Capoocan registered a 16% reduction in the number of people living in extreme poverty, a 15% reduction for those living below the food threshold, a 19% reduction of people with no access to safe drinking water, and a 7% reduction of people with no sanitary toilets. Poverty eradication remains a big challenge for Capoocan but the socio-economic initiatives and livelihood assistance provided to the people already show significant gains.

The comprehensive child and maternal health services provided by the municipality have rendered both child and maternal mortality practically nil. A 32.6% increase in access to reproductive health services was also registered from 2001 to 2004. There are no reported cases of AIDS/HIV and malaria in the municipality. The cure rate for tuberculosis is 32% with a TB network in place that provides counseling services and is active in community cleanliness drives.

The municipality also implemented a community-based forest management (CBFM) program with a livelihood component. It was also able to formulate a solid-waste management program and has conducted solid waste management information campaigns. The formulation of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) of the municipality and the strict enforcement of its zoning ordinances will help protect natural resources of the municipality.

The biggest accomplishment of the PRO-GAD Capoocan program is the increase in the reporting of cases of violence against women and children as the result of the intensive campaign. Today, the number of habitual VAW perpetrators has decreased by 98%, an astounding accomplishment.

Indeed, the program has come a long way both in its attempt to address women’s problems and to respond to the challenges posed by the MDGs. Given the meager resources of the municipality, it is definitely amazing that the municipality was able to deliver basic social services well and extensively, and with significant outcomes. True to the goal enshrined in the MDGs, Capoocan did not only promote gender equality but also succeeded in empowering women to be the masters of their own destinies.

One area that remains problematic is education. The four high schools that serve the 21 barangays of the municipality are unable to meet the demands for the proper education of the children in Capoocan. The low performance of elementary and secondary students, which is probably reflective of the still high poverty incidence in the province, is symptomatic of the problem. But this may yet change for the better given Capoocan’s resolve.

Capoocan may still be poor, resources-wise that is, but it has shown that improvements are possible even with meager resources.