To HON. AHOD B. EBRAHIM, BARMM Interim Chief Minister;

BAINON G. KARON, Bangsamoro Women Commission (BCW) Chairperson;

HON. ATTY. PANGALIAN BALINDONG, Speaker, Bangsamoro Transition Authority;

DATU MOHD ASNIN PENDATUN, Cabinet Secretary and Representative of BARMM Ministries, Offices, and Agencies;

BAE DIAMILA D. RAMOS, Member of the Parliament and Committee Chair on Women, Youth & PWD;

Engr. MOHAJIRIN T. ALI, Director General, Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority;

To our representatives from the Philippine Commission on Women, UNIPHYL WOMEN, PNP PRO BAR, UNFPA, UNDP, UN-WOMEN, SUBATRA, and UK Embassy;

And to all my fellow women leaders and public servants,

Assalamu alaikum wa Raḥmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

I am honored and privileged to speak before you today through this video message as you kick off the celebration of the National Women’s Month spearheaded by the Bangsamoro Women Commission.

The new theme for 2023 to 2028 emphasizes Women Empowerment: “WE for gender equality and inclusive society.” This is very much aligned with our Agenda for Prosperity which envisions an economic transformation that is inclusive and sustainable for all Filipinos—regardless of age, gender, and sociopolitical and religious affiliations.

We want to make sure that no one is left behind, especially women.

So first and foremost, I would like to greet and congratulate all the women in BARMM, especially for your contribution to strengthening communities and nation-building, advocating and fighting for peace and equality, and for lobbying for the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law that established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao—a historic win for the whole country.

It is also a historic win that the Bangsamoro Organic Law provides for development programs, as well as mechanisms for consultations for women and marginalized sectors. More importantly, Bangsamoro women are now given reserved seats and sectoral representation in the Parliament and Cabinet, recognizing their role in governance and ensuring their fundamental equality before the law. As a woman leader myself, I strongly believe that things will work better, especially in the government, when we have more women in charge to bring equality to the table.

And so we, at the Department of Budget and Management, are determined to help BARMM as it undergoes transition and implements gender-responsive and special development programs for women.

We have appropriated Php 64.76 billion for BARMM’s Annual Block Grant; Php 5.0 billion as Special Development Fund for the rebuilding, rehabilitation, and development of conflict-affected communities; and Php 4.59 billion for its share in taxes, fees, and charges collected in the region. Meanwhile, Php 852.9 million has been allocated for the Normalization Program, and Php 36.1 million for the provision of socio-economic development assistance for former MNLF combatants in pursuit of the Government of the Philippines-MNLF Peace Process Program.

As a proud daughter of Mindanao and as Secretary of the Budget Department of our country—only the second woman to hold this position—I am committed to the realization of a BARMM that is thriving, with Bangsamoro women whose rights are protected and who are empowered to take part and take the lead in decision-making.

Indeed, we have come a long way in achieving peace and empowering women in our socioeconomic development agenda. Now that we have laid the groundwork for a sustainable and inclusive future, it is incumbent upon us to do more than what we have done in the past years, especially for women who weave our nation together.

This National Women’s Month, rest assured that the DBM is one with the Bangsamoro Women Commission in celebrating every woman. May we always find the strength and courage to hold our homes together, hone the next generations, and contribute to the achievement of our Agenda for Prosperity toward a genuinely inclusive society that values gender equality. Inshalah.

Mabuhay ang mga kababaihan. Mabuhay ang BARMM! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas.

Shukran. Maraming salamat po. Wabillahi Tawfiq Wal Hidaya, Wasalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.

END