Empowered women key to building an enduring peace, says Sec. Amenah Pangandaman

Manila- The 2025 Philippine Conference on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) unfolded at the Philippine International Convention Center from October 28 to 30, uniting diverse voices under one inspiring call for inclusive and participatory peace building.

Consistent with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision to amplify women’s crucial role in shaping a just and lasting peace, the three-day event placed women’s empowerment and participation at the heart of national transformation.

The conference carried the theme “Empowering Local Women, Peace, and Security Champions as Agents in Socioeconomic Transformation,” reflecting the government’s deep commitment to gender-responsive leadership and community-based peace processes.

Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman and Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr. led the opening ceremony with powerful messages of hope and collective action.

In her keynote address, Secretary Pangandaman underscored that true peace cannot exist without women who ‘mend the social fabric torn by years of conflict through their daily acts of leadership, compassion, and resilience.’ She stressed:

“Empowered women play a vital role in laying the foundation of enduring peace.” OPAPRU Sec. Galvez, for his part, has reaffirmed the gov’t determination to sustain inclusive peace, highlighting the critical link between women’s empowerment and the success of the peace agenda across all regions.

Joining them were Solicitor General Darlene Marie B. Berberabe, Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) Chair Ermelita V. Valdeavilla, OPAPRU Executive Director Asec. Susana H. Marcaida, Open Government Partnership Co-Chair and MALAYA KA Executive Director Aurora Chavez, PCW OIC Deputy Executive Director for Management Services Dr. Macario T. Jusayan, Deputy BTA Parliament Speaker MP Atty. Laisa M. Alamia, KAPATIRAN Chair Ma. Veronica Tabara, and , who all echoed the shared mission of empowering women as agents of harmony and progress.

Serving as the event’s Guest of Honor, Solicitor General Berberabe said, “Women should stop being just beneficiaries. We should take part in leadership.”

The conference, built on the achievements of the 2024 International Conference on WPS and the Pasay Declaration, further advances the four pillars of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security 2023–2033:

Pillar I: Empowerment and Participation, the event emphasized that women’s voices must not only be heard but must lead peace and development efforts from the grassroots to the global stage:

Pillar 2: Protection and Prevention spotlighted the need to safeguard the human rights of women in all their intersecting identities, particularly those in conflict-affected and marginalized areas. P

illar 3: Promotion and Mainstreaming, government agencies reaffirmed their commitment to embedding gender equality and WPS priorities into all peace, security, and governance initiatives.

Pillar 4: Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) introduced a stronger, more transparent framework – one that integrates civil society organizations to ensure that WPS progress is both inclusive and accountable.

Throughout the three-day conference, around 600 delegates from government, civil society, academia, media, and international organizations engaged in plenary sessions, roundtable discussions, and interactive exhibits celebrating women’s leadership in peacebuilding.

A special gallery showcased stories of resilience from women peacebuilders across the country, highlighting how courage, collaboration, and compassion can transform communities once divided by conflict.

As the conference concluded on October 30, participants carried forward one united message: that empowering women is not merely an act of inclusion—it is the foundation of peace itself.