Legarda underscores women’s leadership in climate resilience, education reform, and inclusive governance as Women’s Month 2026 opens

Senator Loren Legarda opened the celebration of National Women’s Month 2026 by honoring the indispensable role of women in building a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable Philippines. She underscored that empowering women is a prerequisite for social transformation and effective governance.

Reflecting on this year’s national theme, “WE for Gender Equality and Inclusive Society,” Legarda urged that gender equality be integrated into the daily functions of government, schools, and communities, calling it a collective responsibility, not just an occasion for ceremonial recognition.

“This year’s Women’s Month calls us to move beyond recognition into integration, to ensure that equality defines how our institutions, schools, and workplaces function every day,” Legarda said.

A consistent champion of women’s rights, Legarda was the first woman to top two senatorial elections in 1998 and in 2007) and has championed landmark measures that uphold social and economic equality, including the Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710), Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act (RA 9262), Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act (RA 10364) and its expanded version, Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act (RA 11148), and the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law (RA 11210).

Beyond the halls of legislation, Legarda continues to translate advocacy into programs that uplift Filipino women, especially in the grassroots. She has advocated for women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that promote sustainable livelihoods. Thousands of women entrepreneurs across the country have benefited from programs she supported, from climate-resilient enterprise development in post-disaster areas to the promotion of local weaving, food processing, and eco-friendly crafts in provinces nationwide.

“When women are economically empowered, families thrive and communities become more resilient. Supporting women’s enterprises means investing in the future of sustainable development,” she noted.

Legarda has long emphasized women’s role in climate adaptation and community resilience, recognizing them as frontliners in disaster preparedness, livelihood recovery, and environmental stewardship, responsibilities that grow more vital as the country faces intensifying climate risks.

“Women are frontliners of climate action and guardians of resilience. When we invest in women’s capacity to lead, from barangay councils to national policymaking, we fortify the nation’s defense against climate and environmental risks,” Legarda stressed.

As the first woman to chair the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, and now as Chair of the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts and Co-Chairperson of EDCOM II, Legarda emphasized that women’s empowerment must extend to peacebuilding, education reform, and cultural continuity, areas where the contribution of women remains decisive and underrecognized.

“Our women preserve our culture, nurture our youth, and ensure harmony in communities. They are the teachers who shape values, the culture-bearers who keep our heritage alive, and the community leaders who bridge differences and nurture unity. Recognizing their leadership is not only an act of equality, but it is also an affirmation of the nation’s strength and identity,” Legarda stressed.

Legarda concluded that Women’s Month is not only a time for celebration but a call to action to ensure that gender equality becomes a permanent pillar of governance, culture, and development. She urged Filipinos to recognize women as central to inclusive leadership, peacebuilding, national resilience, and education reform.

“The strength of our nation lies in the empowerment of every Filipina. When women are protected, supported, and given equal opportunities, progress becomes stronger and inclusive,” Legarda said.(30)