One story. One nation. One people.
Established on January 7 in 1975 during the International Women’s Year as the first national women’s machinery in Asia, the
Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), formerly National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW), kick-started its semi-centennial anniversary celebration with the theme, “50 Years of Empowerment: PCW Leading Progress, Championing Women, and Weaving a Brighter Future for Bagong Pilipinas.”
Prefaced by the Philippine women’s movements, the story of the PCW is co-written by five groups of authors who have shaped the Commission’s herstory over the past five decades. This narrative continues to unfold in a breathtaking motion, bound together by an unwavering commitment to achieving gender equality, and is categorized under “To be continued” as the PCW embarks on a new chapter in the Bagong Pilipinas.
“There is no better day to breathe the language of gratitude to the people, organizations, and institutions who built a supportive environment that enabled our aspirations to take wings,” PCW Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla said in her welcome remarks on the Commission’s golden anniversary celebration held on January 7, 2025 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Ms. Valdeavilla, the first full-time Chairperson of the PCW, assumed her role in June 2024 after 22 years of working with UN Women, the United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women, preceded by 20 years of holding various positions, including as Executive Director of then NCRFW.
First Co-Authors: Filipino Women as Leaders of Progress
“The conception, birth, and infancy of the Philippine Commission on Women have been cradled by the Philippine women’s movement. Our Commission is a progeny of the many struggles and sacrifices of women leaders who walked the rugged paths, blistered their feet, and cracked their brains so that the PCW of today could continue the struggle on higher grounds. Fifty years beyond its creation, the heart of the PCW remains umbilically intertwined with the aspirations of the Filipino women,” Chairperson Valdeavilla remarked.
Historically, two waves of feminism in the country have significantly contributed to the creation of the Commission: (1) liberal feminism that emerged in the early 1900s and eventually gave birth to the Civic Assembly of Women of the Philippines (CAWP), now called the National Council of Women of the Philippines (NCWP); and (2) left-of-center feminism that began in the late 1960s, heavily influenced by the international women’s movement.
Meanwhile, five Filipino women leaders laid the foundation of the Commission, achieving historic firsts and pioneering achievements:
Helena Zoila Tirona Benitez – a four-term President of CAWP, the first Filipino woman to head the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in 1966, and one of the first Commissioners of then NCRFW;
Leticia Ramos-Shahani – the second Filipino woman Chair of CSW, who urged fellow prominent Filipino women leaders in 1974 to discuss the decade-long-awaited creation of a national women’s machinery and later became NCRFW Chairperson in 1986;
Former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos – the first Chairperson of the NCRFW who was instrumental for the issuance by President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. of Presidential Decree 633 creating the NCRFW;
Irene Rian Cortes – the first and only Vice Chairperson of the NCRFW; and
Dr. Leticia Perez de Guzman – the first Executive Director of the NCRFW.
“It is both exhilarating and humbling to stand side by side with the women leaders who nurtured the PCW into the respectable and competent organization that it is now. We are fortunate to have been fostered and trained by you, who are among the most brilliant and fearless champions we could ever learn from in our lifetime. Your truth makes oppression tremble, and every ground under your feet transforms into frontiers for women’s empowerment,” Chairperson Valdeavilla said.
Second Co-Authors: Laws that Promote Women’s Rights
Chairperson Valdeavilla also highlighted the importance of laws in transforming the lives of Filipino women and charting a pathway toward their empowerment.
“Laws provide legitimacy, power, protection, authority and sustainability to our work. We, therefore, express our gratitude to the Senate and Congress of the present and past 50 years, with special recognition to their respective Committees on Women, for crafting a rich and strong body of legislation that upholds enduring respect, protection and fulfillment of women’s human rights,” she stated.
To date, the country has passed 57 laws, including Republic Acts (RAs), Presidential Decrees and Proclamations, Memorandum Circulars, and Letters of Instructions, that paved the way for the strengthening of the Commission and addressed concerns of women in various dimensions of their lives. Among these landmark laws are the Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710), Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004 (RA 9262), Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 (RA 7877), Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313), An Act Providing for Stronger Protection Against Rape and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Increasing the Age for Determining the Commission of Statutory Rape, Amending for the Purpose Act No. 3815 as Amended, Otherwise Known as “The Revised Penal Code,” Republic Act No. 8353, Also Known as “The Anti-Rape Law of 1997,” and Republic Act No. 7610, as Amended, Otherwise Known as the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act” (RA 11648), and Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022 (RA 11862).
“Thank you for these laws, honorable senators and representatives. Long after you retire from public service, your contributions will continue to shield our women against abuse, exploitation, and disadvantage. We also honor you for recognizing and respecting the role of PCW in ensuring that no gender-discriminatory law will ever be passed again in this country,” Chairperson Valdeavilla added.
She also expressed her gratitude to the legislative branch of the Philippine government for incorporating the PCW’s inputs to the legislative proposals sent to the Commission for review, sponsoring bills that support the Women’s Priority Legislative Agenda (a PCW initiative adopted during the 14th Congress), and recognizing the role of the Commission as a policy oversight and partner in gender-responsive law making, which happened after the passing of the Magna Carta of Women in 2009.
Third Co-Authors: International Partners in Championing Women.
“We honor the international community, especially the United Nations agencies and Development Partners here and abroad, for being our reliable partners. You have been enabling the advancement of gender equality in this country, not only through us, but also in partnership with various government and non-government organizations,” Chairperson Valdeavilla declared.
In its 50 years, the PCW has been a recipient of technical, funding, and advocacy support from UN agencies and development partners. Their assistance has helped develop the skills of its personnel, raise its profile as a Commission, and provide tools, principles, knowledge, systems, and networks that sustain its existence to this day.
“Your support has gone a long way in bringing us to where we are now, and for this, we will always be grateful. At the risk of committing a crime of omission, I sincerely thank International Development Law Organization (IDLO), Oxfam Pilipinas, and the Governments of Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain, and the United Nations family, including International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (UNRC) and UN-Habitat, as well as the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN),” Chairperson Vadeavilla specified.
In response, the PCW received messages of support in person from Dr. Catherine McIntosh, (New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines) and Mr. Gustavo Gonzรกlez (Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, UN Country Team) during its golden anniversary celebration. Meanwhile, Deputy Ambassador Dr. Moya Collett (Australian Embassy), Maria Ermina Valdeavilla-Gallardo (Head of the Philippines Office of the UNHCR), and Dr. Leila Joudane (Country Representative of UNFPA) sent their video greetings to the Commission.
It is worth noting that the PCW and the UN have a long shared history. Thirty years before the creation of the Commission, the UN came into existence with the Philippines as one of its original 51 charter members. Among the basic principles of the UN is the equal rights of women and men, which led to the call for member countries in 1975 to establish a government machinery addressing women’s concerns.
Fourth Co-Authors: Presidents as Weavers of Brighter Philippine Future
Originally established as an advisory body to the President of the country, not to mention having an office situated across the Malacaรฑang Palace, the PCW has contributed to the achievements for women of each administration and has served as a reflection of the President’s priority programs.
“We thank the administration of seven past Presidents, along with each and every government agency, whose support boosted the enabling environment for the effective execution of our mandate,” Chairperson Valdeavilla continued.
The Administration of President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, Sr.
“For the creation of the NCRFW, the forerunner of the PCW; the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women; and especially the review of existing laws and repeal of their discriminatory provisions. All of these continue to serve as solid foundations upon which PCW’s work is now anchored;
The Administration of President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino
“For breaking perceptual barriers to women’s leadership as head of state; for the positioning of gender equality in the Philippine Constitution; for the pioneering of development planning for women, which was among the first in the world; and for the Women in Development and Nation Building Act, which opened doors for women in the military sector and allocated 5 to 30 percent of official development assistance (ODA) for gender initiatives;
The Administration of President Fidel Valdez Ramos
“For the incorporation of a gender and development (GAD) budget policy in the annual General Appropriations Act; for the adoption of the 30-year perspective plan for gender responsive development; and for many laws and policies advancing the protection and fulfillment of women’s rights;
The Administration of President Joseph Ejercito Estrada
“For the opening of capital loan windows for women entrepreneurs; for the positioning of women’s agenda in Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation; for the establishment of women’s desks in the Philippine National Police; and for making sectoral plans of government gender-responsive;
The Administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
“For the enactment of the Anti-VAWC Act and the landmark Magna Carta of Women; for the adoption of the Framework Plan for Women; for the positioning of Philippines as 6th in the Global Gender Gap Index; and for the enactment of numerous laws that continue to empower women;
The Administration of President Benigno Cojuangco Aquino, Jr.
“For the appointment of the highest number of women in the Cabinet, reaching up to 21.7%; for adopting the Women in Economic Development and Gender Equality Plan; and for adopting the Domestic Workers Act and many other laws; and
The Administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte
“For the enactment of laws on safe spaces, mother-child nutrition, anti-mail order spouse, telecommuting, and prohibition of child marriage, among others.”
And now, under the administration of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr., positive changes on the lives of Filipino women have been achieved. The Philippines remains number one among Asian countries in closing the gender gap. It achieved gender parity in education, increased women’s life expectancy by four years, increased female labor force participation rate to 54.7%, exceeded by 8.3% the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target in the reduction of adolescent birthrate, and is close to meeting the SDG targets on reduction of maternal mortality and four targets on ending violence against women (VAW). He committed that his administration “shall continue to implement concrete and comprehensive measures to increase women’s representation in the security sector and government service towards creating a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable society”. Midway to his administration, the first International Conference on Women, Peace and Security was held and a prevention-oriented National Action Plan on Ending Violence Against Women (NAP EVAW) was launched.
Fifth Co-Authors: Filipino Men as Partners for Equality
Finally, as a nation that was once a gender equal and VAW-free country before the arrival of colonizers, the PCW recognized the engagement and contribution of Filipino men in achieving gender equality.
“We are now joined by men, who understand that this movement is not about defeating the opposite sex. It is about rejecting ideas, beliefs, and practices that sustain women’s subordination, oppression, and deprivation of their dignity and entitlements. It is about transforming societies and institutions into enablers of egalitarian relations, where benefits, voice, resources, and opportunities are equitably shared, so that everyone may reach their full potentials and contribute to a better life for all,” Chairperson Valdeavilla said.
She added that she is counting on Filipino men to spread a new vision of masculinity where respect and kindness prevail and equality for all is a lived reality. She emphasized that “men of quality support gender equality” and reiterated that it was not they, but the colonizers, who instilled the culture of gender inequality in the country.
Next Chapter: PCW in the Bagong Pilipinas
In conclusion, Chairperson Valdeavilla declared that the PCW remains a force to be reckoned with, acknowledging that while it is not afraid of failures, it firmly believes that success could be reversible. She further encouraged its current personnel to stay, affirming that “the best is yet to come.”
“Our Commission holds the distinction of being the first national women’s machinery to be created in Asia. Fifty years later, it continues to be recognized as a pioneer in gender mainstreaming. Leaders from other countries continue to come to the Philippines to learn from what we are doing. We have effective home-grown tools and strategies, our staff are brilliant and well-trained, and we have built our own support systems to deliver services to our expansive client system,” Chairperson Valdeavilla reported.
She also highlighted that through the Commission’s 50 years of action, the Philippines currently (1) has 213 gender and development resource pools, 33 local government units serving as GAD local learning hubs, 9 GAD resource centers, and 247 gender focal point systems; (2) is the only country in Asia with two legislated GAD budgets: the 5% to 30% of the total ODA and at least 5% of the total annual national budget; and (3) has positioned gender equality and women empowerment in the national and sectoral plans.
Moving forward, the PCW Chairperson vows to continue building upon its past successes and confront the current challenges, including ending VAW through prevention and addressing underreporting, mitigating the impacts of climate-induced disasters on women, ending digital inequities and helping prevent the spread of digital dementia, optimizing digital technology to accelerate women’s empowerment, developing the Philippine’s care economy, implementing smart financing to support the work of women’s organizations in communities, and institutional right-sizing of the Commission.
