Pasay city: Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman emphasized the significance of gender-responsive budgeting in fostering inclusive and sustainable development. She spoke during the Philippine Conference on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) at the Philippine International Convention Center, where she highlighted the DBM’s commitment to ensuring national budgets address the needs of women and girls.

According to Philippines News Agency, Pangandaman stressed the importance of inclusive and collaborative approaches to advancing the WPS agenda. She noted that addressing issues surrounding WPS requires learning from diverse experiences to create a comprehensive strategy. The DBM aims to prioritize WPS among national issues, ensuring it receives the necessary attention and resources.

Pangandaman called for increased investments to support the WPS agenda, emphasizing that progress relies on adequate funding and effective implementation of gender and development (GAD) programs. She highlighted efforts to enhance public financial management systems, ensuring the prudent and transparent use of GAD funds to facilitate timely and meaningful implementation.

Furthermore, Pangandaman revealed that the DBM is collaborating with the Philippine Commission on Women to create a gender accountability dashboard. This digital tool will track government agencies’ use of GAD allocations, promoting transparency and measuring the impact of gender-focused initiatives across sectors.

Pangandaman acknowledged local WPS champions’ contributions to socioeconomic transformation and stressed the importance of transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in achieving NAPWPS commitments. The conference aims to underscore women’s crucial role in fostering inclusive peacebuilding and sustainable development in their communities and the nation.

The three-day event features plenary discussions and breakout sessions, focusing on women’s roles in driving these initiatives.