PH-EITI highlights gender inclusion efforts at MGB capacity enhancement workshop
Albert San Diego
Quezon City, Philippines
The Philippine Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (PH-EITI) reaffirmed its commitment to advancing gender equality and inclusive governance in the extractive sector during the Mines and Geosciences Bureau’s (MGB) Capacity Enhancement Workshop for the MGB Focal Point System and Finalization of the 2026 Gender and Development (GAD) Plan and Budget held on October 23, 2025, at the Eastwood Richmonde Hotel.
PH-EITI National Coordinator Mary Ann Rodolfo shared insights on the status of gender mainstreaming in Philippine mining, emphasizing how stronger gender inclusion contributes to better governance, safer workplaces, and more sustainable community relations. She presented findings on workforce participation and leadership representation, noting that while women remain underrepresented in operational roles, they are increasingly visible in professional and managerial positions, reflecting the sector’s progress toward greater inclusivity.
PH-EITI National Coordinator Mary Ann Rodolfo joins GAD focal persons from MGB’s central and regional offices during the capacity enhancement workshop (Photo courtesy of DENR-MGB)
Rodolfo also underscored the importance of improving gender-disaggregated data and integrating gender perspectives in social development programs, community consultations, and corporate governance. She highlighted PH-EITI’s ongoing collaboration with MGB and other partners in developing practical tools and indicators that embed gender considerations in planning, monitoring, and reporting systems.
She encouraged participants to move beyond regulatory compliance by creating enabling environments where women and marginalized groups can meaningfully take part in decision-making. According to Rodolfo, gender equality strengthens transparency, accountability, and long-term sustainability in mining governance.
The four-day workshop gathered GAD focal persons from MGB’s central and regional offices to enhance their capacity for gender-responsive planning and implementation. It concluded with the consolidation and finalization of the Bureau’s 2026 GAD Plan and Budget, marking a shared commitment across agencies to institutionalize gender mainstreaming throughout the country’s mining operations and governance systems.
A government-led, multi-stakeholder initiative implementing EITI, the global standard that promotes the open, accountable management, and good governance of oil, gas, and mineral resources. PH-EITI was created on 26 November 2013 through EO No. 147, s. of 2013. It is a government commitment first announced through EO No. 79, s. of 2012.