Excellencies, distinguished leaders, ladies and gentlemen:
Assalamu alaikum wa Raḥmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
Magandang hapon po. Good afternoon to everyone.
What an honor and inspiration to be in a room full of empowered women and men from around the world championing our Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda!
This conference is indeed monumental as the first-ever ministerial-level international conference on the WPS Agenda. And it is especially significant for the Philippines today as we seek to ensure peace and security in the Asia Pacific region. But as a woman—the only Muslim female in the Cabinet and the only woman in the Philippine Economic Team at that—this Conference means a lot to me because it sparks hope: hope that in the near future, we will achieve a world where gender equality is the norm, not just the aspiration.
I come from a small town in the south of the Philippines—Marawi City in Mindanao—a place that has seen the scars of conflict. But it is not only in Marawi but also in various parts of our archipelago that we have seen and continue to see a significant number of women and girls experiencing traumatic situations, even exploitation, and having difficulty accessing education and other opportunities even to this day. In spite of all the achievements for equality that our government can be proud of, the reality is that scenarios like these still exist.
Yet under these circumstances, we see resilience and strength. Despite facing unimaginable challenges, women rise. Mothers, grandmothers, daughters, granddaughters, sisters, teachers, professionals, doctors, nurses, health care workers, weavers, entrepreneurs, leaders, and advocates rise everyday to care for their families and communities.
Hence, these realities must not discourage us but instead motivate us to deepen and strengthen our resolve to advance the WPS Agenda and find innovative financing solutions and ways to integrate gender perspectives into financial planning and create resources, opportunities, and support for women to be vital agents in peacebuilding and security.
Thankfully, this conference has given us a platform to do just that. This thematic discussion, in particular, gives us the unique opportunity to listen and discover the creative and strategic ways that we are advancing the WPS Agenda in our different countries.
On that note, allow me to share the ways by which the Philippines is advancing gender equality and contributing to global security through its significant investments in WPS initiatives.
Gender-Responsive Budgeting
As early as 1995, we introduced “The Women’s Budget,” or the Gender and Development (GAD) Budget, in our National Budget, which mandates all departments and agencies up to the Local Government Units to allocate a minimum of five (5) percent for gender programs, projects, and activities.
In 2009, we enacted the Magna Carta of Women, which protects women during disasters, calamities, and crises. It incorporates their welfare in peace agendas and recognizes their crucial role in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
This law is further operationalized and translated into meaningful and targeted outcomes through the updated Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Plan 2019 to 2025 by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW). It serves as the government’s guide and key reference in formulating our GAD agenda, plans and budgets, and strategic actions.
In fact, based on the latest GAD budget report of the PCW, 16.68 percent of the entire National Budget last year was allocated for GAD, amounting to some USD 15.58 billion or Php 888.2 billion. This is much higher than the mandated minimum of 5 percent allocation for gender programs, projects, and activities.
National Action Plan on WPS
We also take pride in the fact that the Philippines is the first Asian country to adopt a National Action Plan on WPS in 2010 and only one of two ASEAN countries among the 103 countries that have developed their respective National Action Plans. It is now in its fourth iteration, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between civil society and government, acknowledging women's intersecting identities, and addressing emerging issues like digital peace and cybersecurity.
Anchored on these frameworks, we have been working tirelessly to implement actionable strategies and integrate gender perspectives into financial planning and management to bolster our WPS programs.
In fact, as we enter the second phase of the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Assessments, we will also thoroughly assess how the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda is included in the way we manage our financial resources, helping us to ensure that this is ingrained in our PFM systems and practices.
FY 2025 Programs on Women Empowerment
Towards women empowerment, our programs under the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 National Budget are built on the principle that enabling women to be leaders in peace and security begins by nurturing their capabilities through economic support, education, and climate crisis protection.
Our budget for our most extensive social protection program, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), has exponentially increased from only USD 5.37 million in 2008 to USD 2.0 billion in 2025, benefiting some 4.4 million Filipino households. This budget also includes some USD 11.77 billion for additional grants for pregnant and lactating mothers to ensure the health and nutrition of their children for the first 1,000 days of their life.
Cash grants are given directly to mothers of eligible households, increasing their ability to invest in the well-being of their families, thereby improving the survival, health, and access to education of their children.
This is further strengthened by the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), which has some USD 16.2 million. This will support the vision of a gender-responsive Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector and improve women entrepreneurs’ access to capital, especially since more than half of those who access MSME loans are women business owners.
Towards the same vision, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is also actively promoting women’s economic empowerment by increasing access of women to financing through the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso or the P3 Program (Fund for Change and Progress) with an allocation of USD 26.3 million, and providing space for women’s enterprises through the One Town, One Product Philippines Program with an allocation of USD 1.6 million.
Recognizing the vulnerabilities of women and girls during disasters, we are also working hard to incorporate gender-responsive measures in our climate action programs, including in climate finance, such as our People’s Survival Fund (PSF). For 2025, some USD 17.5 million is allotted for PSF to implement climate change adaptation programs.
Aside from the programs and initiatives of the Philippine government agencies, we are also fortunate that there are a multitude of dynamic initiatives supporting women and peace in our country. From UN Women Philippines to Spark Philippines, which champions the development of women and youth and girls as full partners in gender equality; to Noorus Salam (Light of Peace), a national network of Muslim women religious and civil society leaders; to the Philippine Women's Economic Network and the Philippine Business Coalition for Women; and many more.
Official Development Assistance (ODA) on Gender and Development
Aside from these, the Philippines is working closely with development partners to improve gender and development efforts in the country. As early as 2001, we organized the Official Development Assistance – Gender and Development (ODA-GAD) network composed of the gender focal persons of bilateral and multilateral development agencies in the country together with the PCW and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
To give you an overview, NEDA reported in 2023 that approximately USD 1.2 billion of ODA loans and grants had been allotted to infrastructure programs that are gender-responsive and have promising GAD prospects.
I am happy to share that we have revitalized the network this year to coordinate, promote, and strengthen accountability for gender equality in ODA-funded programs in the Philippines.
Peace and Security
Towards peace and security, our initiatives in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) exemplify how inclusive strategies can lay the groundwork for peace and progress. For the past decade, we have already invested a total of USD 144.99 million in the Normalization program which aims to uplift the conditions of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants, their families, and communities. And we will continue to support it next year with USD 16.0 million.
Meanwhile, some USD 92 million has been allotted to the PAMANA or the PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn Program to strengthen peacebuilding initiatives, reconstruction, and development in BARMM. This will be implemented by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU). The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will work closely with them to improve the PAMANA program to make it a more explicit WPS mechanism.
Women in Peacebuilding Initiatives
True to our vision of a thriving BARMM and a Mindanao that shines as a land of promise, we have also established the Bangsamoro Women Commission, the body responsible for mainstreaming gender equality into the implementation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law. With the help of UN Philippines, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and UN Women, the Bangsamoro Women Commission was able to develop and launch the Bangsamoro Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (RAPWPS).
Their partnership has also helped reintegrate members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Women Auxiliary Brigade (BIWAB), an all-female group of the MILF, by offering them sustainable livelihood opportunities and capacity building on conflict-response mechanisms. It enabled them to participate in socio-economic affairs and expand their community protection and peacebuilding role.
On our end, the Department of Budget and Management has been conducting capacity building programs on Public Financial Management for BARMM to help and guide the Bangsamoro government in establishing a sound PFM system. And I am happy to share that among the hundreds we trained in the region, most of them are women. This makes us even more confident that BARMM will have an efficient, transparent, and accountable public financial management system.
Indeed, women leaders in the Philippines have been instrumental in shaping our peace and security landscape, serving as powerful role models. To name a few, I would like to highlight the profound contributions of Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, who became the first woman chief negotiator in the world to sign a major peace agreement with a non-state armed group.
Conclusion
As leaders and advocates, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that WPS initiatives are rightfully prioritized and financially supported.
Because as you know, women empowerment leads to equality; equality leads to peace; peace leads to economic development; and economic development leads to prosperity. As reflected in our Philippine Development Plan, gender equality is key to achieving our Agenda for Prosperity.
Hence, let us do everything we can to further empower our women, especially the future generations of women who, like us, will stand up for peace and ensure not only the security but also the prosperity of nations.
Thank you very much.
Wabillahi Tawfiq Wal Hidaya, Wasalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.
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