Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman highlighted the Philippines' advancements in promoting women's rights and urged women globally to amplify their voices for gender equality.

During the 68th annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), Pangandaman presented the country's statement at the General Discussion session of CSW68 and is expected to lead the Philippine delegation's involvement in the conference's activities.

The CSW, a vital global intergovernmental body dedicated to advancing gender equality and empowering women, is currently chaired by the Philippines through H.E. Antonio Lagdameo, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations. 

“Upholding our commitment to gender-responsive governance and recognizing the intersectionality of issues they face in society, the Philippines has made significant strides in promoting the rights of women and girls from different sectors” Pangandaman said.

The budget chief cited the enactment of the Magna Carta of Women, a comprehensive anti-discrimination and gender-equality law that was further operationalized and translated into meaningful and targeted outcomes through the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Plan 2019 to 2025.

In making the national budget gender-responsive, Pangandaman also shared that all government agencies have been allocating at least five percent of their budget to support programs and activities on GEWE since 1995.

A high percentage of Gender and Development (GAD) budget in relation to the total agency budget is one of the indicators of the depth of gender mainstreaming within the agency. 

It reflects that the agency is not only implementing direct GAD programs, activities, and projects (PAPs), but also actively integrating gender perspectives throughout its planning and programming processes.

“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 since 1995. In 2022, we spent an estimated $18.9 billion on gender programs,” Pangandaman said.

The budget chief likewise said that the Philippine government has also mainstreamed gender into social protection initiatives through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, and strengthens business skills of women through providing them access to business financing.

“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.

The 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.

“With women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises being the driving force of the Philippine economy, our government provides support to women entrepreneurs by strengthening their business skills through projects like the Kapatid Mentor Me program, which offers them coaching and mentoring, and government loans that improve their access to financing,” she added.

The secretary likewise said other initiatives dedicated to empowering women and upholding women and children’s rights such as the ongoing efforts to set up nationwide evacuation centers to cater to women and girls during disasters.

“There is always more to be done to achieve a genuinely inclusive and gender-fair Philippines—and world. But this should only motivate us to continue to rise above the limitations we have experienced in the past and—in the true spirit of equality—make our voices even louder to achieve a future of empowered women and girls in a gender-equal world,” Pangandaman concluded.

The session will run from March 11 to 22 March, 2024 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”.