PASAY CITY, METRO MANILA - Representatives from countries across Southeast Asia are gathered here under a shared vision to build a peaceful, prosperous and resilient region, as the Philippines formally opened the ASEAN Women, Peace and Security Conference on Wednesday, October 7.
Attended by around 300 delegates, the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship and hosting the WPS Conference is a testament of the country’s efforts in pushing forward the WPS agenda locally and across the region.
With the theme, “Advancing Women, Peace and Security in ASEAN: Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Localizing Peacebuilding Commitments,” the conference stressed the urgent need to translate regional commitments into concrete interventions that will be felt by communities.
An agenda grounded in communities
In his opening remarks, Presidential Peace Adviser Mel Senen S. Sarmiento emphasized the significant contribution of women in peacebuilding.
“Our task is to ensure that their (women) experience and leadership help shape the decisions that affect their lives – that is the heart of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda,” he said.
Sec. Sarmiento shared that under the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the government is working not only towards the completion of signed peace agreements but most especially, sustaining and building on its gains.
“Communities must experience greater security, better opportunities, and meaningful role in shaping the future. This is where women’s participation and the localization of the WPS Agenda becomes essential,” he said.
Sec. Sarmiento also highlighted the country’s foundations for participatory governance, noting the importance of having an inclusive space where people’s organizations and participation are recognized and protected.
“This is why we are pursuing an Executive Order to institutionalize the localization of our National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAPWPS). We want WPS integrated into local planning, budget planning, service delivery, and peacebuilding. We want local governments to develop action plans grounded in their communities’ needs,” he added.
Women in peacebuilding
In her message, Philippine Commission on Women Chairperson Ermelita Valdeavilla noted that since time immemorial, women have already been leaders and participants in peace work.
“Mediation, in our oldest traditions, was women’s work and it was respected and recognized as leadership. Across the ASEAN region, many other communities have their own names for this kind of role,” she said.
Valdeavilla called on the delegates to help ensure that the contributions of women leaders are recognized.
Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega who represented Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ma. Theresa Lazaro, said that “the pursuit for peace has always been a top priority for the region.”
“Today, we celebrate a significant force that drives this pursuit forward – the women who work tirelessly, often without recognition in confronting the realities on the ground. Despite vulnerabilities in times of conflict, women continue to play meaningful roles in peacebuilding and recovery,” Usec. De Vega added.
She pointed out that the Philippines continues to advocate for gender-responsive peacebuilding strategies and women’s inclusion in peace talks.
“Leadership transcends gender and an inclusive ASEAN holds space for everyone,” Usec. De Vega said.
Strengthening regional cooperation
In his keynote address, ASEAN Secretary-General H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn noted that the conference reinforces a milestone in ASEAN’s WPS journey, as member-states collectively advanced the WPS Agenda when they adopted the Joint Statement on Promoting Women, Peace and Security in ASEAN during the country’s chairship in 2017.
According to Dr. Hourn, ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future carries this forward.“It envisages women fully empowered to take part in decision making. This direction matters more now as the security environment evolves,” he said.
The conference also highlighted the importance of partnerships in advancing the WPS Agenda across the region.
Representatives from the Australian Embassy in the Philippines and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines likewise expressed their support for the Philippines’ efforts to advance women’s meaningful participation and leadership in peacebuilding and to strengthen regional cooperation on WPS.
Johanna Stratton of the Australian Embassy in the Philippines and UNDP Resident Representative in the Philippines Christophe Bahuet underscored the value of sustained partnerships in translating WPS commitments into meaningful action, particularly at the community level.
The conference also provided a platform for ASEAN member-states to reflect on the region’s progress and as well as the challenges it faces in advancing WPS. H.E. Koung Sorita of the ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW) Cambodia presented the ASEAN WPS landscape, highlighting the need for stronger cooperation, knowledge-sharing, and coordinated action among member-nations.
This reaffirms the belief that advancing WPS requires more than the implementation of policies and commitments, as it also calls for sustained action that responds to the realities that women and communities confront.
As the ASEAN continues to pursue a peaceful, inclusive, and resilient region, the WPS conference serves as a platform for member-states and partners to strengthen cooperation and turn commitments into concrete initiatives that will enable women to meaningfully participate in shaping peace, security, and their futures.
Through its 2026 ASEAN Chairship, the Philippines continues to champion a WPS Agenda that is inclusive, locally grounded, and responsive to the needs of communities.
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