Pangandaman calls for gender mainstreaming in natl budget
BUDGET Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Wednesday stressed the need to mainstream gender and development (GAD) in the national budget to advance women's participation and role in peace and security. In a press briefing at the International Conference on Women, Peace and Security (ICWPS) in Pasay City, Pangandaman said government leaders must ensure that the entire budget focuses on empowering women through programs that provide livelihoods and jobs for all. "When our leaders in the national government and even in local government units and our GOCCs (government-owned and -controlled corporations), when they prepare the budget, when we prepare the budget, maybe we should mainstream everything, women are into this already. When you prepare the budget, the primary purpose is to give jobs, to give employment to the people," she said. Pangandaman reported that 16.68 percent of last year's national budget was allocated to GAD, significantly exceeding the required minimum of 5 percent for gender-related programs. Under the Magna Carta of Women, all government departments and agencies are required to allocate a minimum of 5 percent of their total annual budgets for gender programs, projects, and activities. "What we should do, more than tagging this budget, [is that] we should already mainstream women in the entire national budget. You don't allocate just 5 percent. When agencies, when our leaders propose the budget, they have to ensure that the Women's Budget or women empowerment programs and projects are the goal of that budget," she said. Pangandaman said that government-funded WPS (Women, Peace, and Security) initiatives include social protection programs such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, "which also covers additional grants for pregnant and lactating mothers," and economic empowerment efforts such as the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso Program. She highlighted the People's Survival Fund for addressing women's needs during climate crises and disasters, along with the Pamana program that supports peacebuilding and development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. "As you know, women empowerment leads to equality; equality leads to peace; peace leads to economic development; and economic development leads to prosperity," Pangandaman said. Government data showed that about P807.64 billion or 23 percent of the P3.513 trillion budget for national government agencies was allocated for GAD initiatives last year. However, only P442.5 billion, or 13 percent, has been used for these programs, showing that there are significant challenges in implementing GAD plans and projects. For this year, the government allocated P83 billion, up by 8.9 percent from last year's P76.2 billion, for social protection, which includes GAD, internally displaced persons, and disaster relief assistance. In the same forum, Australian Ambassador for Gender Equality Stephanie Copus Campbell stressed the critical role of donors, including the private sector and philanthropies, in implementing WPS initiatives and the need to share women's stories supported by research to attract funding for the women-centered agenda. In addition, HIAS Ukraine Director Maria Jose Gonzales stressed the importance of sharing women's stories with donors globally and called for long-term funding for grassroots organizations to cover operational costs and ensure accountability through Implementation Completion and Results reports. Philippine Commission on Women Chairman Ermelita Valdeavilla tackled the challenge of implementing the GAD budget, noting issues with agencies submitting required evidence of its proper use. "So much more remains to be done to strengthen the results. Hence, we are introducing results-based budgeting that will enable us to see the impact [of programs and projects] in the lives of women," Valdeavilla said. "Let us do everything we can to further empower our women, especially the future generations of women who, like us, will stand up for peace and ensure not only the security but also the prosperity of nations," Pangandaman said. Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. said among the major highlights of the three-day conference was the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on women, peace, and security between the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity and the US State Department. "The MoU will pave the way for the establishment of a Center of Excellence on women, peace, and security in the Philippines. It is worth noting that our country is just the third nation in the world that will have this kind of center, with the support of the US Department of State," Galvez said. With the Philippines having its own WPS Center of Excellence, Galvez said the country was envisioned to become the regional hub for Southeast Asia in promoting the advancement of the WPS agenda in the region.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
BUDGET Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Wednesday stressed the need to mainstream gender and development (GAD) in the national budget to advance women's participation and role in peace and security.
In a press briefing at the International Conference on Women, Peace and Security (ICWPS) in Pasay City, Pangandaman said government leaders must ensure that the entire budget focuses on empowering women through programs that provide livelihoods and jobs for all.
"When our leaders in the national government and even in local government units and our GOCCs (government-owned and -controlled corporations), when they prepare the budget, when we prepare the budget, maybe we should mainstream everything, women are into this already. When you prepare the budget, the primary purpose is to give jobs, to give employment to the people," she said.
Pangandaman reported that 16.68 percent of last year's national budget was allocated to GAD, significantly exceeding the required minimum of 5 percent for gender-related programs.
Under the Magna Carta of Women, all government departments and agencies are required to allocate a minimum of 5 percent of their total annual budgets for gender programs, projects, and activities.
"What we should do, more than tagging this budget, [is that] we should already mainstream women in the entire national budget. You don't allocate just 5 percent. When agencies, when our leaders propose the budget, they have to ensure that the Women's Budget or women empowerment programs and projects are the goal of that budget," she said.
Pangandaman said that government-funded WPS (Women, Peace, and Security) initiatives include social protection programs such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, "which also covers additional grants for pregnant and lactating mothers," and economic empowerment efforts such as the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso Program.
She highlighted the People's Survival Fund for addressing women's needs during climate crises and disasters, along with the Pamana program that supports peacebuilding and development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
"As you know, women empowerment leads to equality; equality leads to peace; peace leads to economic development; and economic development leads to prosperity," Pangandaman said.
Government data showed that about P807.64 billion or 23 percent of the P3.513 trillion budget for national government agencies was allocated for GAD initiatives last year. However, only P442.5 billion, or 13 percent, has been used for these programs, showing that there are significant challenges in implementing GAD plans and projects.
For this year, the government allocated P83 billion, up by 8.9 percent from last year's P76.2 billion, for social protection, which includes GAD, internally displaced persons, and disaster relief assistance.
In the same forum, Australian Ambassador for Gender Equality Stephanie Copus Campbell stressed the critical role of donors, including the private sector and philanthropies, in implementing WPS initiatives and the need to share women's stories supported by research to attract funding for the women-centered agenda.
In addition, HIAS Ukraine Director Maria Jose Gonzales stressed the importance of sharing women's stories with donors globally and called for long-term funding for grassroots organizations to cover operational costs and ensure accountability through Implementation Completion and Results reports.
Philippine Commission on Women Chairman Ermelita Valdeavilla tackled the challenge of implementing the GAD budget, noting issues with agencies submitting required evidence of its proper use.
"So much more remains to be done to strengthen the results. Hence, we are introducing results-based budgeting that will enable us to see the impact [of programs and projects] in the lives of women," Valdeavilla said.
"Let us do everything we can to further empower our women, especially the future generations of women who, like us, will stand up for peace and ensure not only the security but also the prosperity of nations," Pangandaman said.
Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. said among the major highlights of the three-day conference was the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on women, peace, and security between the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity and the US State Department.
"The MoU will pave the way for the establishment of a Center of Excellence on women, peace, and security in the Philippines. It is worth noting that our country is just the third nation in the world that will have this kind of center, with the support of the US Department of State," Galvez said.
With the Philippines having its own WPS Center of Excellence, Galvez said the country was envisioned to become the regional hub for Southeast Asia in promoting the advancement of the WPS agenda in the region.
