PEACE BY PEACE

In a patriarchal society, men are the first to come to mind when we talk about peace and security. As a retired military officer, I have seen more men in uniform working and fighting for peace – an arena that has been traditionally male-dominated. But this is not the whole story; this is only a part of a larger stage viewed from a single angle, propagated in the mainstream, and considered as the prevailing norm.

Men have always been at the forefront in addressing peace and security concerns facing our nation. However, it must be recognized that women have played crucial and meaningful roles in achieving the peace that we enjoy today. I cannot emphasize enough how women have taken the driver’s seat countless times and made significant strides, especially in pushing forward and building on the gains of the country’s peace processes.

As we celebrate this year's National Women's Month led by the Philippine Commission on Women under the leadership of Chair Ermelita V. Valdeavilla, let us share the untold stories of women who are helping to foster peace and security and amplify their voices. This year’s theme, “Babae sa Lahat ng Sektor, Aangat ang Bukas sa Bagong Pilipinas,” reflects the invaluable contribution of women, in all their diverse and intersecting identities, who are significantly contributing in creating a brighter future for all.

Gone are the days when women were forced to assume roles and carry out responsibilities just because they were expected to.

Today, let us shine the spotlight on women peacemakers who have helped shape and strengthen the foundations of peace in our nation. The successful forging of various peace agreements, bears witness to the crucial role that women peacemakers have played in achieving a just and lasting peace for all Filipinos.

Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer is the first woman and currently the only female negotiator who signed a major peace agreement – the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. Chairperson Maria Veronica “Ka Inca” Tabara, continues to lead the members of Kapatiran, which signed a peace agreement with the  Philippine government in 2000. The peace agreement is now nearing its completion.

Department of Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman not only co-chairs the Intergovernmental Relations Body that harmonizes the peace and development initiatives of the national and regional governments, but also chairs the advisory council of the Women, Peace and Security Center of Excellence in the country. She is considered one of the nation’s peace champions, demonstrating women’s critical role in peacebuilding. Meanwhile, Ms. Amina Rasul-Bernardo, President of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy, continues to actively bridge grassroots-led peace and development efforts with national peace interventions.

These are just a few names in the long list of women peacemakers who have been instrumental in pushing forward the peace process to greater heights. In the countryside and hinterlands, women have played critical roles in preventing and countering violent extremism, as they led dialogues with extremists and convinced them to return to the fold of the law.

These women are the modern heroes of today. They are the Gabriela Silang of today’s generation, embodying power and bravery; the Melchora Aquino of this century– bringing healing and reconciliation to people and communities in situations of war and conflict.

Across all sectors of society – government, civil society, and grassroots organizations – women from diverse backgrounds and cultures have risen up to the challenge, and are helping to empower one another so that they will be given a permanent seat at the peace table. From the negotiation to the implementation phases of peace agreements, it is without a doubt that their voices have helped re-shape the country’s peace and security landscape.

In 2010, the Philippines became the first Asian country to adopt its own National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAPWPS). The National Steering Committee on Women, Peace and Security, composed of 25-member agencies, are currently implementing the fourth generation of the NAPWPS covering the period 2023 to 2033. It is a testament of and reinforces the country’s steadfast commitment in fostering an environment that “uplifts the well-being of women and empowers them as agents of peace, development, and progress in their communities.”

Last year, our country successfully hosted the first ministerial-level International Conference on Women, Peace and Security. It was the first of the various initiatives that our country is undertaking to demonstrate our commitment and support to the United Nations Security Council Resolution No. 1325 which calls for women’s increased participation in conflict prevention and resolution, peace negotiations, peacebuilding, peacekeeping, humanitarian response, and post-conflict reconstruction.

In 2024, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. gave the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, the authority to sign on behalf of the government for the establishment of the Women, Peace and Security Center of Excellence, which places the Philippines at the forefront in the implementation of the WPS Agenda. The Center seeks to build up women’s leadership capacity, ensure multi-stakeholder collaboration, strengthen accountability in the implementation of the women, peace and security agenda.

This center will ensure that the Philippines WPS Agenda is not just a mere policy document but a lived reality participated in by all and for all Filipinos. In line with these efforts, we will also be hosting a national conference on women, peace and security, which is expected to be participated in by delegates representing key sectors and society across the country. From the localization of the WPS agenda through the NAPWPS, to the hosting of the AEAN Summit in 2026, by 2027, aside from the success of the Bangsamoro peace process, we are looking forward to having the NAPWPS as one of the breakthroughs of the Philippines that would help us secure a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council.
The time for greater, stronger, and more inclusive participation of women in nation and peacebuilding is now. Together, we are laying the foundations where the nation’s current and future generations will accord the respect, recognition, and appreciation women rightfully deserve. Let us all work together in creating a world where women have a seat at the peace table because it has always been theirs.

Her story is a journey of peace, a narrative of empowerment, and a celebration of her.

Happy Women’s Month!

(Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., is the presidential adviser on peace, reconciliation and unity.)