The Department of Agriculture (DA) joins in the celebration of the 2019 National Women’s Month with series of activities that promote the empowerment of rural women under its Gender and Development (GAD) Program from March 4 to March 8, 2019, as part of the worldwide observance of the International Women’s Day (IWD). By virtue of the Proclamation No. 227 s. 1988, declaring the Month of March as Women’s Role in History Month; Proclamation No. 224 s. 1988, which designates first week of March as Women’s Week and March 8 as Women’s Rights and International Peace Day; and Republic Act (RA) 6949 s. 1990 which puts March 8 of every year as National Women’s Day. This year theme “We Make Change Work for Women” refers to the empowerment of women not just active contributors but implementers of development. This also means to commitment of government for “Malasakit at Pagbabago” kind of community where a Compassionate and Harmonized Actions and Networks for Gender Equality takes place.