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Former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos addressed women leaders during a seminar on Women in Nation Building held on November 25-27, chaired by Marikina city Mayor Ma. Lourdes Fernando. Other notable speakers were Gina Lopez of the ABS-CBN Foundation, Senior Vice-President Maria Ressa of the ABS-CBN News & Current Affairs, former Mayor Mary Jane Ortega of San Fernando city, and former Congresswoman Loreta Ann Rosales.

With women legislators, city and provincial officials and heads of leading women organizations keenly listening, President Ramos shared that despite the propensity to change and being ahead of other nations in the global struggle for women’s rights, Filipino women are still a disadvantaged group and the work of empowering them is a continuing one. He refers to this as the longest unfinished revolution. He points out how it is a crucial battle-front to give them fuller control of their lives and life-choices and better opportunities of education, self-improvement and livelihood.

The workshop showcased success stories of women mayors and progress of organizations pushing women development and gender mainstreaming. Inputs and discussions were on: appropriation of the Gender and Development (GAD) Budget; further empowerment of local government units; women human rights issues; the role of media at transforming women; and the ethics of leadership. The workshop participants shared secrets of how they balance their multiple roles of leading their constituents, supporting their husbands, and raising their children.

The workshop was participated by 50 women leaders: Congresswomen, Assemblywomen from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, Governors, Vice-Governors, Mayors, Vice-Mayors and other city and provincial officials. The workshop was organized by the Centrist Policy Institute and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and held at the EDSA Shangri-La hotel.