Women and resilience advocates attended the initial session of the 2025 Open Government and Participatory Governance Forum, which put strong emphasis on the critical contributions of women in leading locally driven, gender-inclusive and innovative strategies that address climate and disaster challenges at the local level.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Assistant Secretary Lilian M. de Leon reiterated the department’s commitment in fostering inclusive governance and gender-responsive leadership, recognizing women as key decision-makers in the process of strengthening community resilience.
Likewise, DILG-National Capital Region (DILG-NCR) Director Maria Lourdes L. Agustin asserted the importance of the forum in the government’s gender and development efforts towards progress and inclusivity.
“Layunin ng proyektong ito na isalin ang gender and development sa lahat ng isasagawang proyekto at programa upang isulong ang mas inklusibo at progresibong Bagong Pilipinas (The project aims to include gender and development in all projects and programs to develop a more inclusive and progressive Bagong Pilipinas),’’ Agustin noted.
The first series of this year’s OpenGov Forum is a collaborative effort between the DILG-NCR and SM Cares, in partnership with the Philippine Commission on Women, Bureau of Fire Protection, SM Prime Holdings, Our Home, Women’s International Network on Disaster Risk Reduction Philippine Chapter, and ARISE Philippines.
Dubbed as “Women LEAD: Advancing Women’s Leadership for Community Resilience,” over 1,000 women and resilience advocates joined the activity held recently at the Music Hall of the SM Mall of Asia.