By: Christian John Calimbas, ACTS 

Bringing together over 600 empowered Filipina leaders across the country, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) co-organized the first Philippine Conference on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) held at the Philippine International Convention Center last October 28-30, 2025. The conference aims to highlight the transformative role of women leaders as allies of peace and security in conflict-afflicted areas in the country.  

Opening the Philippine Conference (PhilCon) on WPS, then DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman emphasized that “peace and equality are not simply aspirations written in policy, but principles fought for and lived by women who have long stood at the frontlines of peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and recovery.”  

The gathering centered on the stories of success of the government, the academe, civil society organizations (CSOs) and development partners as allies of the WPS agenda. It coincides with the 25^th year anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 which recognized the important role of women in peace building.  

WPS Accelerators 

Honoring the contribution of civil society organizations (CSOs)  to the localization of the WPS Agenda, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) conducted a nationwide Mapping Study of Civil Society Organizations engaged in WPS and hailed 10 CSOs as WPS Accelerators.  

The 10 WPS Accelerators recognized by OPAPRU include the following CSOs: Balay Mindanaw Foundation Incorporated; Gagandilan Mindanao Women Inc.; Generation Peace Youth Network (GenPeace) Inc.; Indigenous Women Resource Center (IWRC); Miriam College- Women and Gender Institute (WAGI); Moro Women Development and Cultural Center Inc.; Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (PCID); Tupo na Tao sa Laya Women Mediators, Inc. (TTLaWMed); Women Engaged in Action 1325 (WEAct 1325); and Women Empowered to Act for Dialogue and Peace in Mindanao. 

Showcasing their work and advocacy for women in peacebuilding communities, these CSO partners launched a gallery titled “Tracing Peace: A Walkthrough on Women’s Impact on Peace and Security” during the Conference.  

Peace Education 

Harnessing the power of the academe in the achievement of the WPS agenda, the Mindanao State University (MSU) – Maguindanao Campus launched the Diploma in Women, Peace, and Security (DWPS) Learning Book titled “Dialogue Beyond Borders: Reimaging Women, Peace and Security through the Yogyakarta-Bangsamoro Experience”.  

The Learning Book tells the story of the first 31 cohorts of the DWPS program during their learning exchange activity with Rifka Annisa Women’s Crisis Center, the first non-governmental organization (NGO) in Indonesia recognized for their work on the prevention of gender-based violence (GBV).  

Recognizing the important role of the academe, PCID President Amina Rasul emphasized that “if you cannot institutionalize your advocacy or the work that you do, then in a few years, it’s gone. But when it is institutionalized in the academe, matagal ‘yan. Habang buhay nandoon na yun”.  

Towards Open Government Partnership 

Meanwhile, anchoring on Open Government Partnership, then DBM Secretary Pangandaman shared the government’s role in peacebuilding and peacekeeping for women, children, and their communities.  

“Governance is not just about numbers, but about people and their right to participate in decisions that shape their lives,” she shared.  

With the theme “Empowering Local Women, Peace and Security Champions as Agents in Socioeconomic Transformation’, the three-day PhilCon WPS was co-organized by the DBM, OPAPRU, the Philippine Commission on Women, the National Steering Committee on WPS, the WPS Center of Excellence, and development partners from the United Nations Development Programme, the UN Women, and the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP). 

Moving forward, the Philippine government is committed to further advancing WPS by strengthening the monitoring and evaluation of the PH National Action Plan,and focusing on WPS education and local implementation of the WPS Agenda.