MSU-Maguindanao Engages in the 2025 Philippine Conference on WPS to Advance Regional Collaboration and Inclusive Peacebuilding
Mindanao State University–Maguindanao joined the nation’s leading advocates for gender equality and peacebuilding at the 2025 Philippine Conference on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) held on October 28–30, 2025, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.
The conference opened with keynote addresses from WPS COE Chairperson and Department of Budget and Management Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman and Solicitor General Atty. Darlene Berberabe, both of whom underscored the critical role of inclusive governance and women’s leadership in sustaining peace. The three-day event brought together distinguished WPS advocates, policymakers, and educators across the country, featuring 5 plenary sessions and 20 side events that highlighted local and national initiatives advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
The conference also marked the 25th Anniversary of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) on WPS.
The University also featured market-ready products at the conference bazaar, developed and managed by women’s cooperatives in Camps Abubakar, Badre, and Omar. These agri-fishery and food products showcased the creativity, resilience, and enterprise skills of women in post-conflict communities. The display included Spanish-style bottled Hito, Gourmet Banana Chips, and Pure, Value-Added Ginger Powder, representing sustainable local enterprises rooted in peace and empowerment.
The 2025 Philippine Conference on WPS aimed to strengthen regional and local collaboration in advancing the WPS agenda by bringing together national and ASEAN representatives, peace advocates, and policymakers. It emphasized how regional cooperation can bridge local peacebuilding initiatives, ensuring that the Regional Plan of Action on Women, Peace, and Security (RPA on WPS) is effectively translated into local policies and actions. The conference also underscored the importance of partnerships among government agencies, academic institutions, and civil society organizations in sustaining best practices in gender-responsive peacebuilding. Furthermore, it highlighted the empowerment of local women leaders and peacebuilders, particularly from Bangsamoro and indigenous communities, while exploring how WPS principles can be applied in emerging areas such as cybersecurity, maritime security, environmental action, and transitional justice.
9 DWPS faculty attended and 6 students from the first cohort attended the 2025 Philippine Conference on WPS.