PASIG CITY — In a significant show of solidarity and commitment, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), alongside the British Embassy Manila and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP Philippines), continues to advance the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda through the Women, Peace and Security Center of Excellence (WPS CoE).
At the heart of this tripartite partnership is a shared vision: to institutionalize women’s meaningful participation in peacebuilding and integrate gender perspectives across the nation’s reconciliation and development efforts.
During a recent high-level meeting, Edwine Carrié, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, commended OPAPRU’s leadership in steering the Philippine peace process toward inclusivity and sustainability.
“OPAPRU has been shepherding the peace process in a very capable manner, and we are very grateful for this partnership opportunity. We are willing and eager to support the peace process,” Carrié remarked.
Carrié highlighted the crucial role of the WPS Center of Excellence as a space for knowledge-sharing, policy alignment, and program development. He emphasized that the center acts not only as a hub for research and training but also as a platform to amplify the lived experiences of women in conflict-affected areas, particularly in the Bangsamoro region.
“This Center of Excellence will be an opportunity to systematize knowledge sharing, policy alignments, and program developments in furtherance of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda,” he added.
Representing OPAPRU Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr., WPS CoE Executive Director and Peace Sustainability Cluster Head Susana Marcaida stressed that the true strength of the WPS movement lies in collaboration and localization.
Marcaida pointed to the vital role played by civil society organizations, government agencies, and Regional Development Councils, including their Gender and Development Committees, in making WPS programs truly responsive to the unique realities faced by women across various provinces and regions.
“We move forward to act on our shared commitment to the lives and aspirations of all women who have carried communities through conflict and continue to shape the foundations of peace,” Marcaida said. “Our gathering today reflects the importance of partnership, of building bridges between institutions, governments, and communities so that no woman’s voice goes unheard.”
For the British Embassy Manila, the Center of Excellence symbolizes more than just policy—it is a bold commitment to women’s inclusion and leadership in national peace efforts.
“This Center is not just a space for training and research, but is a bold statement that the Philippines and its partners, including the United Kingdom, will not step back from the fight for women’s inclusion, protection, and representation,” said Andrew Bowes, British Embassy Political Counsellor.
The initiative is anchored in the project titled “Sustaining the Gains of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the Philippines: Institutionalizing Platforms for Women’s Meaningful Participation and Leadership in Peace and Security.” It is funded by the UK government and implemented in partnership with OPAPRU and UNDP Philippines.
The project aims to fortify institutional mechanisms and expand initiatives that support the integration of the WPS agenda across both national policies and regional platforms. At its core is the belief that peace and security are not possible without women—especially those who have endured and helped heal the wounds of conflict.
As the WPS Center of Excellence takes root and expands its reach, it stands as a beacon for gender-inclusive peacebuilding in the Philippines, ensuring that women are not just beneficiaries of peace but architects of it.