Speech of Senator Loren Legarda | 7th International Forum on Law and Religion in the Philippines: Charting the Future of Women, Peace and Security Agenda | 21 November 2025

Twenty-five years after the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, nations must decide what it truly means to advance the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda. Today, conflicts have become more protracted, humanitarian needs continue to rise, and the climate crisis pushes families into displacement while straining essential resources. Digital systems widen access to information and economic activity, yet these same innovations expose women and girls to new vulnerabilities, from online exploitation to disinformation that fuels division. These realities require us to think more broadly about peace and security. They compel us to assess whether our institutions and resources meet the scale of our commitments, and whether women lead with authority in the forums where decisions shape the lives of our people.

In the Philippines, we have worked to ensure that the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda guides national development and is not treated as a separate concern. It is now embedded in legislation, national planning, governance structures, and regional partnerships. This shift took years of deliberate work. As a four-term Senator, I am proud to have championed this priority from the outset.

As author of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, its expanded 2012 version, the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act, and the Magna Carta of Women, we strengthened the legal environment that protects rights, delivers justice, and ensures participation. My authorship of the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law and the Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act further advanced the health and overall well-being of women and their families. In addition, the Magna Carta for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, the Barangay Livelihood and Skills Training Act, and other job-generating measures we championed supported livelihoods in rural and indigenous communities. Together, these interventions address drivers of insecurity and expand opportunities for women to shape their own futures.

Protection frameworks also advanced through our work on climate governance. When I championed the Climate Change Act of 2009, which established the Climate Change Commission, I ensured that women were represented in its decision-making. The law introduced adaptation duties that respond to the distinct vulnerabilities disproportionately carried by women and girls. Addressing these risks is essential to any comprehensive Women, Peace, and Security approach.

Our legislative work also strengthened indigenous governance. The National Indigenous Peoples Day Law, the Integrated History Act, and initiatives such as the Schools of Living Traditions and related cultural programs affirmed the rights and identity of indigenous communities. Cultural resilience is a foundation of peace, especially in areas long affected by exclusion. Indigenous women serve as custodians of cultural knowledge and lead efforts that foster harmony and continuity. Their contributions must guide national strategies for peace and justice.

The intersection of faith and governance has similarly informed our work. As author of the World Interfaith Harmony Week Law, we established a regular platform for dialogue among religious communities. These exchanges build understanding and promote coexistence in a country shaped by diverse belief systems and histories. Measures such as the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Act, the recognition of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr as regular holidays, and the observance of the National Day of Awareness on Hijab and other Traditional Garments and Attire further strengthened respect and inclusion.

My work on the peace process in Mindanao reflects these same principles. As co-author of the Bangsamoro Organic Law and co-chair of the Philippine Congress–Bangsamoro Parliament Forum, we secured women’s representation across governance processes. In the post-conflict period following the 2017 Marawi Siege, and as Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, I immediately supported the allocation of funding for the rehabilitation of Marawi so that recovery efforts would reach every family affected.

The national Women, Peace, and Security architecture continues to evolve. The Philippines was the first Southeast Asian country to adopt a National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security. Each iteration strengthened clarity, implementation, and monitoring. The fourth-generation NAP builds on these lessons and responds to emerging risks, including those linked to digital systems and climate-induced fragility. It reinforces accountability and promotes evidence-based programming. I have long advocated for the NAP to remain a living document, guided by data and informed by the realities of communities on the ground.

Last year, I supported the hosting of Southeast Asia’s first ministerial-level International Conference on Women, Peace, and Security here in the Philippines, reaffirming our commitment to regional cooperation. This year, the Philippines launched the region’s first Women, Peace, and Security Center of Excellence. It is designed to serve as a hub for research, training, and collaboration. It will help institutionalize WPS practices, strengthen capacity across government and civil society, and ensure continuity through political transitions.

To strengthen implementation, parliaments must ensure that national budgets reflect WPS priorities. Gender-responsive budgeting provides a clear path. The Magna Carta of Women, which I authored, requires all government agencies to integrate Gender and Development programs into their budgets, with a minimum allocation of 5%. This created a dedicated resource stream and embedded gender considerations into national development plans. It has helped the Philippines sustain a high global ranking in gender parity, as reflected in the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap Report. These investments broaden opportunities for women to lead and improve outcomes across sectors.

All these efforts lead to one message. The Women, Peace, and Security Agenda cannot be viewed as a marginal concern. As we deliberate the national budget in the Senate, the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda must not be treated as a single policy compartment. It must influence every sector and serve as a lens for how we allocate resources. The national budget is the most visible expression of what we value. It must carry the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda across all institutions.

To everyone gathered here today, we know that the Philippines has good laws. We have strong frameworks. But families cannot live on promises. These laws must reach the barangays where mothers line up for vaccines, where girls walk long distances to school, and where women rebuild their homes after every typhoon.

Our responsibility is to ensure these commitments do not remain only in documents and declarations. They must become clinics that open their doors, shelters that protect survivors, classrooms that promote functional learning, and livelihood programs that provide jobs. We must know where we are succeeding and be honest about where we are falling short. Only then can we build the peace and security that every Filipino deserves.

Congratulations on this important event, and let us continue to push, insist, and ensure that the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda is non-negotiable.

Thank you.