The Re-entry Project of Ms. Adeluz Capacillo, a Public Management Development Program (PMDP) scholar from the Middle Managers Class Batch 4 of Development Academy of the Philippines’ (DAP) Public Management Development Program was adjudged as the Best Re-entry Project and Most Visible Re-entry Project.
Ms. Capacillo, an Accountant IV and the Assistant Chief of the Financial Management Division of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office 2, bagged two major awards for the project entitled “Women at Work in Improving Road Maintenance Project in DPWH Region 02” during the Public Management Development Program graduation rites held on October 3, 2014 at the Development Academy of the Philippines, Tagaytay City.
Department of Public Works and Highways in Cagayan Valley Region hired women for its repair works which are usually done only by men. The Project, which was fully supported and advocated by Region 2 Director Melvin B. Navarro, was implemented in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The partnership paved the way for the capacity-building and skills enhancement training of women workers in the application of thermoplastic road pavement markings using a kneading machine.
Under the program, women are given priority in the hiring of DPWH job-order personnel and they will be tapped for the marking and thermoplastic painting of Maharlika Highway, which traverses the region, said Melvin Navarro.
The Project, which is presently being implemented at the DPWH Cagayan 3rd District Engineering Office has significantly reduced road accidents by 29 percent based on research conducted after the implementation.
“The Re-Entry Project advocates women empowerment. It promotes gender equality and sensitivity by providing suitable jobs not traditionally offered to women,” said Ms. Capacillo. She said that the Project reduced operation costs and optimized the use of funds in the Maintenance Division.
By hiring local residents within in the community, they were able to lessen their transportation and operation costs while giving local job opportunities. Also, based on the numbers presented by Ms. Capacillo, it seemed that the women hired were more efficient than the men. Each woman was able to accomplish the same task that used to require two men.
DPWH Secretary Rogelio L. Singson commended the project and the women as he personally witnessed their efficiency in their jobs. Instead of giving out contracts, the DPWH bought the needed equipment and issued these to each regional office, the project helped the government agency save P2.4 million in two districts alone.
DPWH Region 2 is now on its fifth round of implementing this project in two (2) districts in Cagayan and Secretary Singson directed the other engineering districts in the region to replicate it. The projected impact of this convergence once rolled out in the entire country is P181 million worth of savings and 1,086 jobs annually.