05/03/2026
๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง'๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก
Legislators and government agencies committed to strengthening the women, peace and security legislative agenda in a policy forum last March 3 at the House of Representatives. The initiative was organized by PLCPD, in partnership with the Committee on Women and Gender Equality chaired by Congresswoman Ann Matibag and with the support of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.
In her opening message, Rep. Ann Matibag urged legislators to pass laws that will ensure inclusive peacebuilding: "The Philippines has taken pride in being a global and regional leader in advancing the WPS agenda. Our challenge in the 20th Congress is to sustain that leadership by translating commitments into concrete, responsive, and adequately funded legislation--laws that protect children in situations of conflict, uphold the rights of internally displaced persons, and ensure accountability for human rights violations."
The OPAPRU Women, Peace and Security CoE, led by ED Susana Marcaida, presented updates on the NAPWPS4 and strategic areas for legislative action.
PLCPD Director of Knowledge Resource Center, Angie Ramirez, presented the organizationโs legislative agenda on WPS:
โ
๏ธ Institutionalization of women and children protection units
โ
๏ธ Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Act
โ
๏ธ Protection of the rights of Internally Displaced Persons
โ
๏ธ Human Rights Defenders Protection
โ
๏ธ Anti-discrimination on the basis of SOGIESC or SOGIE equality
Bridging this discussion, the following key authors who are all PLCPD members presented the salience of their bills to strengthening WPS:
โ
๏ธ Akbayan Rep. Dadah Kiram Ismula, author of the ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐จ which will address legitimate grievances, historical injustices, and marginalization of the Bangsamoro.
โ
๏ธ Cong. Krisel Lagman, Rep. Sarah Elago, and Rep. Renee Co, authors of bills on ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง (๐๐๐) which will guarantee the protection of human rights defenders from intimidation, violence, and reprisals, and ensure accountability for abuses.
Commitments for adopting the WPS legislative agenda were also made by Rep. Joeman Alba who is also a PLCPD member, Rep. Richelle Singson, Rep. Roger Mercado, and Rep. Agatha Cruz.
Government agencies, namely DILG, DBM, NCIP, NCMF, and CWC all committed to strengthening WPS institutionalization through stronger inter-agency coordination.
WEAct 1325, Oxfam Pilipinas, and Sigay Nu Mga Babay Association โ CSOs whoโve led in NAPWPS community consultations and lobbying โ expressed support for strengthening WPS implementation and urged duty-bearers to listen to the voices of communities.
The policy forum was accompanied by an art exhibit that showcased stories of women's leadership in peacebuilding, development, and security. We thank our collaborators WPS Center of Excellence, WEAct1325, Sigay Nu Mga Babay Association, United Youth of the Philippines-Women, and the Maguindanao Alliance of Youth Advocates for bringing important stories to light.
PLCPD is dedicated to strengthening multisectoral and multistakeholder collaboration for advancing the WPS legislative agenda in the 20th Congress, es emphasized by PLCPD Deputy Executive Director Nenita Dalde.
