IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

FOR THE REGIONAL CONVERGENCE GROUPS (RCGs)

OF THE GREAT WOMEN PROJECT 2
October 2017
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

No. Titles Page

List of Acronyms 3
1 Introduction 4
2 Objective of the Regional Convergence Groups 5
3 Strategy 6
4 Cooperation Landscape 7
5 Processes 11
6 Steering Structure 15
7 Learning and Innovation 15
8 Conclusion 16
9 ANNEXES 16
RCG Review Workshop Results
Work and Financial Plan Template
LIST OF ACRONYMS
BFAR Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
DA Department of Agriculture
DOST Department of Science and Technology
DOLE Department of Labor and Employment
DTI Department of Trade and Industry
GGRVCA Green and Gender Responsive Value Chain Approach
GREAT Women Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of
Women
GWP2 GREAT Women Project Phase 2
NCG National Convergence Group
PCG Provincial Convergence Group
PCW Philippine Council for Women
PMO Project Management Office
PMT Project Management Team
PSC Project Steering Committee
RCG Regional Convergence Group
VC Value Chain
VCA Value Chain Approach
WEE Women’s Economic Empowerment
WMEs Women Micro Enterprises
INTRODUCTION

 The Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the

Transformation of Women (GREAT Women Project Phase
2 also referred to as GWP2) aims to assist women
entrepreneurs improve the competitiveness and
sustainability of their enterprises and enhance the
enabling environment for women’s economic
empowerment.
 The Project provides focused interventions to identified
Women Micro Enterprises (WMEs) designed to improve
their business management competencies, their skills to
develop new products or innovate existing products and
expand markets.
 INTRODUCTION

 The interventions are provided to the Women Micro

Enterpreneurs (WMEs) by the partner government agencies and
other relevant organizations through a convergence
arrangement. These convergence groups are at the national,
regional and in some cases, at the provincial levels.

 The essence of the Implementation Guide is to come up with

standard guidelines/steps on how to make the RCG an effective
strategy to effectively and efficiently attain the objectives of
GWP2.
This implementation guide will cover the following
areas:
 Objective – describes the objective or purpose why the Regional Convergence
Groups exist. Their objective shall be aligned with the Project objectives and
results
 Strategy - lists the approaches to be used to achieve the desired objectives
 Cooperation Landscape – defines the organizations that will be working
together in implementing the project activities
 Processes – are the steps to be followed and the standard forms to be used in
project implementation, from planning, implementation and monitoring,
including budgeting
 Steering Structure – defines the composition of the steering body and its roles
and functions
 Learning and Innovation – identifies possible activities where the RCG can
contribute in the area of knowledge management and mainstreaming the
Project approach in the respective organizations
 OBJECTIVE of the REGIONAL CONVERGENCE
GROUP (RCG)
 The ultimate objective of the Regional Convergence Group is
to steer the Project at the Regional Level. Individual RCG
members may also provide direct support to the sector/s of the
provinces through their respective agency’s programs or
projects.
 The RCG may also advocate for or implement activities that
enhances the enabling environment of the sector/s or of the
WMEs.
OBJECTIVES of the GREAT WOMEN PROJECT
Phase 2 (GWP2)
The ultimate goal of the Project is “Improved economic
improvement of women micro entrepreneurs and their
workers” while its OBJECTIVES and expected results are:

 Improved competitiveness and sustainability of women’s

micro-enterprises
 Improved enabling environment for women’s economic
empowerment
STRATEGY
The illustration shows the two strategies of the
Project:
 Use of the Green and Gender-responsive
Value Chain approach (GGRVCA) which uses
tools to analyze the sector (or product), identify
areas for improvement, prepare action plans
defining activities that have to be
implemented at the sector level and those that
will be implemented by the women micro
entrepreneurs.

 Convergence of agencies and relevant

organizations which can support the sectors
and the WMEs either through the delivery of
their respective agencies’ programs and
projects or through the improvement of the
enabling environment.
COOPERATION LANDSCAPE
Composition of the Regional
Convergence Groups:
The composition of the RCG
basically mirrors that of the
National Convergence Group
(NCG). However, if the sector/s
recommended by the
provinces requires the support
of other NGAs or private sector
organizations which are not
represented in the RCG, these
organizations may be invited to
be part of the RCG.
Key Stakeholders (THE RCG)
 actors who use their skills, knowledge or position to significantly influence the
project;
 their support and participation are essential for the attainment of project results
 they are responsible for delivering the project results.
Primary Stakeholders (WMEs)
 actors who are directly affected by the project as
a) beneficiaries,
b) they gain or lose power or privilege or c) negatively affected
Secondary Stakeholders
 actors whose involvement in the project is only indirect or temporary (e.g.
private business service providers)
Private Sector
(may be business development service providers, academe, Research
institutions, Chambers)
Civil Society
(advocacy groups, development organizations, etc.)
Based on the workshop conducted for the RCGs in Region 7 and
Region 8, the following are the samples of the Stakeholders Map.
 Roles of the RCG
The following are the roles of the RCG:
Serves as the primary implementing mechanism led by the DTI Regional Directors and
the Project Focal Persons. As such, the RCG members shall familiarize themselves with
the “Greening the Gender Responsive Value Chain Approach” by participating in
Greening the Gender Responsive Value Chain workshop organized by PMT
 Prepare an annual work plan and project reports for submission to DTI-PMT
 Provides technical assistance and actual services such as product and
market development ,and links to financial services
 Facilitates links with other service providers (not included in the RCGs) for
services
Roles of the RCG
The following are the roles of the RCG:
A) Screens WMEs for enrolment-
 Screens WMEs recommended by the PCGs or RCG member organizations for
enrolment to the project, profiles and validates potential women entrepreneurs
by assessing the competitiveness level of the WMEs whether they have
complied with the following criteria:
 The enterprise or group should be registered (with DTI, DOLE, Securities and
Exchange Commission, Cooperatives Development Authority).
 By definition, women’s enterprises mean: women‐owned, women‐managed,
with 50%+1 women workers or ownership of the enterprise.
 Level of commitment (as indicated by an enrolment or commitment form)
 Growth and market potential (must be in coffee, cacao, coco coir, processed
Roles of the RCG
B) Prepare an annual work plan and project reports-
The RCG Secretariat prepares the Annual Work Plan of the region after
receiving the Provincial Action Plans based on the needs/requirements
of the WMEs in the provinces in the form of Work and Financial Plan
(WFP) per work package and based on the Performance Management
Framework (PMF)
The RCG reviews the Work and Financial Plan and submits to DTI-PMT for
review and endorsement to PMO for funding
Prepares project reports (through its secretariat) for submission to DTI-
PMT
 Before sending the project report to DTI-PMT, this shall be made part of the
agenda in the RCG meeting for information, discussion and validation.
Roles of the RCG
 The RCG, through its members, provides technical assistance to WMEs such
as product and market development and Financial Management.

 Facilitates linkages between the WMEs and other service providers (who
are not members of the RCGs) for needed services or other technical
assistance based on the WFP.
PROCESSES (STEPS TO BE OBSERVED)

Process on the Steering Structure (Composition of the RCG)

 Government agencies and private sector organizations signed a
Memorandum of Agreement(MOA) to be members of the National
Convergence Group of the GWP2 expressing their commitment to
support the Project. This MOA shall be the same document that
formalizes the membership of the same agencies at the regional
level (or at the provincial level if PCGs are organized in the
provinces).
 Secondary stakeholders who may be invited from time to time to
work with the RCG need not sign a MOA since their participation is
not on a permanent status, unlike those of the RCG members.
 Steering Process of RCG
Proposed frequency of meeting of the RCG is as follows:
Frequency Activity Participants
It will be better if a
Once a Annual Operational All RCG and PCG MOA is drawn
year Planning members to formalized the
membership, roles
Once in Updating/coordination
and commitment
All RCG members of the members
two months meeting
of the RCG to the
implementation
Once a Monitoring and All RCG and PCG of GWP2
year Replanning Meeting members
GWP2 Work and Financial Plan

 The Work and Financial Plan (WFP) is prepared on

an annual basis. Results of the GGRVCA of the
sector (or product) which is conducted at the
provincial level is an important reference in
identifying the appropriate activities. These are
listed down on the GWP2 WFP template.
Regular RCG Meeting Process

 The Work Plan will be the reference document of the

RCG when they conduct their meetings every two
months to review the progress of the project
implementation.
 In these meetings, activities implemented in the
provinces are reported, accomplishments against
targets are noted down.
Monitoring and Reporting Process
 One function of
the RCG is to
consolidate the
results submitted
by the provinces
and prepares the
report for
submission to the
DTI-Project
Management
Team.
 STEERING STRUCTURE OF THE RCG
 The RCG is the operational steering body of the Project at the regional level and is
composed of DTI , DA, DOST, DOLE, BFAR and relevant non-government organizations.
LEARNING AND INNOVATION

The RCG can support the learning and innovation

aspect of the Project through the following:
 In close collaboration with the provinces, identify and
document success stories
 Recommend to DTI-PMT, learning activities for the key and
primary stakeholders of the Project
 Support the DTI-PMT in the development of knowledge
products
 As individual members of the RCG, integrate the project
approach/strategy in their respective organizations
CONCLUSION
The Regional Convergence Group is a network group
composed of individuals from various organizations
who are committed to work together to contribute to
the achievement of the GREAT Women 2 Project
based on their organization’s mandates. As a
network, Cooperation and Negotiation make
decisions possible. The individual contributions of the
cooperating organizations combine in pursuit of
common goals.
 THANK YOU

 HUBERT D. PAR
 GREAT Women Project 2
Proposal by PMO
Monitoring and Reporting Process

LAC
(Local Area
Coordination)
 DTI-HO But what the PMO want is:
The RCG will report to LAC to be headed by
LAC (Local Area Coordination)

DTI Region

DOST
DTI Region RCG LAC
(Local Area
Coordination)

DOLE

DA