To UP President Atty. Angelo A. Jimenez; Mindanao State University President Atty. Basari D. Mapupuno; UP Diliman Office of the Chancellor OIC Dr. Ma. Theresa T. Payongayong; UP Diliman College of Social Sciences and Philosophy Dean Dr. Maria Bernadette L. Abrera; my fellow speakers, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, and Philippine Commission on Women Chairperson Sandra Sanchez-Montano; and to all the women and attendees of Pakaradyaan, a pleasant morning.
Assalamu alaikum wa Raḥmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
Good morning to my fellow Maranaoans. I am so happy to be with you today to celebrate our culture, our history, and most of all, our women!
First, I would like to thank all of you for being one with us, the Maranaoans, in celebrating our culture, history, language, crafts, and identity. This initiative is vital in espousing an appreciation for the country’s cultural diversity.
I would especially like to commend the University of the Philippines System for spearheading this event and working hard toward the genuine appreciation and recognition of indigenous people, specifically Maranaoans.
But today, I see that we celebrate not only the Maranao community but also specifically Maranao women. So in line with National Women’s Month, I would like to underscore the paramount role that women play both in culture and in public service.
Women have been stereotyped as the ones who should do the cooking, cleaning, sewing, and housekeeping. But as you know, we do more than that. We raise families; we build communities; and we serve our country.
Take, for example, Anisah Ampuan Bariga, one of the recipients and partners of the United Nations Human Settlements Program or UN-Habitat in its project to build homes for internally-displaced people after the Marawi Siege.
She led the Construction Finance Committee of the Saduc Riverside Homeowners Association, where she learned how to canvas and procure shelter materials, and thereafter contributed to the rebuilding of homes in the city.
She is just one of the unsung Maranao women heroes who build not just homes, but communities.
For BARMM, women did not only build a community but fought for peace, regional autonomy, and ultimately economic development that would benefit the Bangsamoro people. We all remember how thousands of Bangsamoro women in 2018 walked barefoot in the heat of the sun to lobby for the passage and ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
In the National Government, Mindanaoan women have also been making their mark.
As a woman who also comes from the BARMM, specifically from Marawi, I am proud to be the first female Budget Secretary from Mindanao and the first Budget Secretary from Marawi. This has only inspired me to work harder—especially as I work alongside our astute and esteemed economic managers who are all from UP and all men! —to further our Agenda for Prosperity.
This would not be possible if we did not have a culture that allows women to lead, unlike other countries where gender inequality is alarming. So we must acknowledge that we are indeed very blessed although there is so much more that women can do if we allow them to.
So let us continue to provide the right conditions and support for women to study and work, pursue their calling, and rise to action so that together, we can weave our dreams and achieve our Agenda for Prosperity that will benefit not only our generation but generations to come as well.
For my part, I am committed to helping Mindanao thrive and shine as the land of promise.
Gagawin po natin ang lahat upang maiangat ang Mindanao, lalo na ang Marawi; at upang makita hindi lamang ng buong Pilipinas kundi ng buong mundo ang kagalingan ng mga Maranao at ang kagandahan ng Mindanao.
I am happy to share that to help Marawi, the DBM has appropriated Php 1 billion for the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act or Republic Act No. 11696. It has been five years since the Marawi siege, and this is the first time that the budget was allocated solely for victim compensation.
Meanwhile, we are regularly meeting with our BARMM counterparts for the development plans for the BARMM. In the National Budget, we also appropriated Php 64.76 billion for BARMM’s Annual Block Grant; Php 5.0 billion as a Special Development Fund for the rebuilding, rehabilitation, and development of conflict-affected communities; and Php 4.59 billion for its share in taxes collected in the region.
Now, going beyond the institutional and policy level, we need to dive deep and understand the complex socio-cultural dimensions of our lived experiences. We must continue to empower women and integrate women into our socioeconomic development agenda. Because we have the power to redefine our culture and build new ones.
As long as women are empowered and we are given the opportunity to do our part and do our best, I am confident that our nation will continue towards progress.
Mabuhay ang mga Maranao. Mabuhay ang Mindanao. Mabuhay ang kababaihan!
Wabillahi Tawfiq Wal Hidaya, Wasalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.
Maraming salamat po.
