‘Philippines made significant strides in women’s rights’

NEW YORK – The Philippines has made significant strides in advancing women’s rights in different sectors, a budget official said at the 68th annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68).

“As a testament to our commitment to financing with a gender perspective, government agencies have been allocating at least five percent of their budget to support programs and activities on GEWE (gender equality and women’s empowerment) since 1995. In 2022, we spent an estimated $18.9 billion on gender programs,” said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.

Through the GEWE Plan 2019 to 2025, the Magna Carta of Women was further operationalized and translated into meaningful and targeted outcomes, she added.

“We continue to strengthen our institutions and social protection programs to address women’s poverty. Our Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, a conditional cash transfer program with a budget that has exponentially increased from $5.37 million in 2008 to $1.9 billion this 2024, has benefitted 4.4 million Filipino households,” Pangandaman said.

“Cash grants are given directly to mothers of eligible households, increasing their ability to invest in the well-being of their families, thereby improving the survival, health and access to education of their children,” she added.

Pangandaman also mentioned the Kapatid Mentor Me program, which offered women entrepreneurs coaching, mentoring and government loans.

Other initiatives such as ongoing efforts to set up nationwide evacuation centers to cater to women and girls during disasters; the establishment of the Bangsamoro Women Commission, which integrates gender initiatives into the Bangsamoro region’s priority agenda and a venue for women in the public sector and civil society to join in promoting a gender-fair and open government were also mentioned.

The budget secretary also announced the Philippine government is pushing for the implementation of an inclusive procurement program as part of efforts to amend the two-decades-old Government Procurement Reform Act.

Pangandaman delivered the Philippines’ statement as head of the delegation.

This year’s CSW is chaired by the Philippines through Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo.

The session will run from March 11 to 22 with the priority theme, “Accelerating the Achievement of Gender Equality and the Empowerment of All Women and Girls by Addressing Poverty and Strengthening Institutions and Financing with a Gender Perspective.”

Among the Philippine delegation are officials from the Philippine Commission on Women, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Presidential Communications Office, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Social Welfare and Development and civil society organizations.