EMBASSY LOOKS BACK ON NATIONAL WOMEN’S MONTH

Kuala Lumpur, 31 March 2025 — The Philippine Embassy concluded its celebration of National Women’s Month with the launch of a HerStories corner in its Sentro Rizal and a lecture by Ambassador Maria Angela Abrera Ponce on the Philippines’ Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (BFPA).

The Philippines annually celebrates National Women’s Month in the month of March. For this year the Embassy’s celebrations kicked off on 03 March with a special flag ceremony highlighting the critical roles of women in the Philippines and highlighting Filipino women leaders who have made valuable contributions to different sectors of Philippine society.

On the same day the Embassy launched its “Sining ni Juana” poster-making contest, with the theme “Babae sa Lahat ng Sektor, Aangat ang Bukas sa Bagong Pilipinas.” With their art, winners Peter Buenavente (3rd), Alan Jay T. Amante (2nd) and Yanni C. Lopez (1st) honored the role of women in all sectors of society through their powerful visual representations.

On March 5 and every Wednesday of the month, Embassy personnel wore purple to symbolize their solidarity with the women’s cause through Purple Wednesdays.

For International Women’s Day on 08 March itself, the Embassy held a self-defense training seminar under the guidance of SheFights. The training aimed to build confidence and equip personnel and leaders of Filipino Community organizations – in a fun and lively atmosphere -- with knowledge and skills to protect themselves and assert one’s right to safety.

The Embassy’s Migrant Workers Office – Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (MWO-OWWA) and Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) also held a Financial Literacy Seminar for Overseas Filipino Workers.

With Women’s Month also being about solidarity, Ambassador Ponce participated in the International Women’s Day events of the Malaysian government, led by PM Anwar and the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, as well as the International Women’s Day symposium of the United Nations agencies in Malaysia.

The Embassy’s Gender Focal Points, Hannah de Castro and Clarissa Villamor, also attended the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Heritage Talks Lecture on “The Role of Women in Philippine History,” Webinar on Empowering Women in the Civil Service and Enhancing Workplace Inclusivity, and Talk on eSports and Women. Public Diplomacy Officer Ms. Aina Abrencillo also joined the E-sports talks.

For its closing activity, the Embassy launched a HerStories corner in its Sentro Rizal and Ambassador Maria Angela Abrera Ponce gave a lecture on the Philippines’ Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (BFPA).

The HerStories corner feature publications written by, for and about Filipina women, including biographies, literary works, academic studies on contributions of Filipinas to Philippine arts, society and history.

In her lecture, Ambassador Ponce recalled that the Beijing Declaration For Action (BFPA), is the “most comprehensive global policy framework and blueprint for action” to realize gender equality and the human rights of women and girls. Adopted in 1995 under the chairship of the Philippines, the BFPA celebrated its 30th Anniversary this year and is the basis for the Philippines’ Magna Carta for Women. She noted that in its report to the UN Commission on Women on the Philippines’s implementation of the BFPA, the Philippines highlighted progress in addressing women and poverty, violence against women, and women and armed conflict, among others. It was also noted that the Philippines currently ranks 25th globally and 3rd among Asia-Pacific economies in the 2024 Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI).

The entire report may be accessed at https://www.unwomen.org/.../b30_report_philippines_en.pdf. END

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