The Department of Energy (DoE) has recently released P2-M to MMSU for the program: “Gender Mainstreaming and Sensitivity-Holistic-Advocacy for Renewable Energy Development (GMA-SHARED) in Northern Philippines.”

The financial assistance came from DoE’s CY 2009 Gender and Development funds.

The amount will be used for the Phase 1 of the program: “Gender-mapping and Analysis of Renewable Energy Systems (RES)” scheduled to have been undertaken from July 2009 to June 2010.  The check was released by the Land Bank of the Philippines last June 23 only.

This will be implemented by the Affiliated Renewable Energy Center (AREC) at MMSU and will be handled by Dr. Carmelo J. Esteban, CAFSD dean, who will act as project leader. The proposal was then prepared in consultation with Dr. Carlos M. Pascual, former AREC manager.

The program aims to promote gender sensitivity to renewable energy-based systems projects for sustainable community transformation and development. Divided into three phases and to be implemented until June 2012, the program has four components: 1) conduct of mapping studies to establish the gender structures related to RES development in the service areas of MMSU AREC in Northern Luzon; 2) development of gender-sensitive training modules and implement gender mainstreaming/sensitivity trainings to promote gender-empowered RE programs, projects, and systems among service areas, industry players, and communities and individual beneficiaries; 3) piloting of community-based gender-sensitive RES to promote rural entrepreneurship and community welfare; and 4) development and dissemination of appropriate information and education campaign materials on gender-sensitive RES.

The Memorandum of Agreement on this collaborative project was signed in 2009 between DoE and MMSU represented by then Secretary Angelo T. Reyes and President Miriam E. Pascua, respectively.

The Energy Department is mandated under R.A. 7638 to formulate and implement programs, projects, and activities for the accelerated development and utilization of RE resources and systems and provides funds for gender and development activities and projects.  MMSU, on the other hand,  has been serving as DoE’s extension arm in implementing the department’s mandate in Ilocos Region with the establishment in 1989 of the then Affiliated Non-Conventional Energy Center, now AREC.