Marawi City, 27 July 2004 – Pursuing her initiative of highlighting the important role of women in the development of Mindanao through public diplomacy, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Delia Domingo Albert today led diplomats and other government officials in visiting livelihood and housing projects for Muslim women in Marawi City.

“Muslim women have an important role to play in the future of Mindanao.

It has always been my interest to promote and increase national and international awareness of issues and concerns confronting Muslim women. By leading the diplomatic corps in showing them the livelihood and housing projects with the support of various women NGOs in Mindanao and other parts of the country, we can affirm our commitment to truly empower Muslim women,” Secretary Albert said.

The Secretary and her group visited the low-cost housing project for evacuees owned by the NGO Millennium Women for Peace and Development Foundation, and Cooperative Training and Marketing Center operated by Women in Cooperatives, another NGO based in Mindanao. They also visited the Aga Khan Museum in the Mindanao State University which showcases Maranao arts and handicrafts.

The Foreign Affairs Secretary was joined by the Ambassador of India Navrekha Sharma, Ms. Deborah Landey of the UN Development Programme, Ms. Tuty Dityawanty of the Indonesian Embassy and Dr. Michael Yates of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Other government officials who joined her are Presidential Adviser on Education Hon. Mona Valisno, National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) chairperson Hon. Veronica Villavicencio, Dr. Amina Rasul-Bernardo, former Chairperson of National Youth Commission and Ms. Marieta Goco, former chairperson of NAPC. Senior women officers and staff of DFA led by Ambassador Erlinda Basilio of the Foreign Service Institute and officials of the Mindanao State University and the local government also joined the Secretary.

The Foreign Affairs Secretary believes that the women are a force of peace in Philippine society. “Women in the Philippines have always played a pivotal and crucial role in our everyday life. However, by engaging them more in projects and programs that empower them, allowing them to take charge of their lives, and promoting ways to serve interests to develop themselves, we make them actively participate in nation-building especially in peacemaking, peace-building and development efforts of the country”.

The Secretary also acknowledged the important role played by NGOs in the development of Mindanao, particularly in terms of post-conflict rebuilding. “In fact, in a historic first, the Philippines succeeded in bringing the issue of the role of civil society in post-conflict peace building to the UN Security Council, and, for the first time, civil society was allowed to participate in the deliberations of the UN Security Council.  I was privileged to chair that meeting and my presence here in Marawi is part of our efforts to build on what was discussed at that meeting and apply this at the national level,” the Secretary said.

Secretary Albert is in Marawi City to attend the 3-day Conference-Workshop on the Role of Muslim Women in Peace-building and Development, co-organized by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the funding agency USAID. END