Philippine Commission on Women Statement on the 29th Anniversary
of the Signing of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement between
the Government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) joins the nation in commemorating the historic signing of the Final Peace Agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) on September 2, 1996. The agreement established structures for governance and development, integrated former combatants into state forces, and opened doors for Moro representation in public affairs.

As we mark its 29th anniversary, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) reflects on its legacy, particularly its impact on women in conflict-affected communities. For many Moro and indigenous women, the years of conflict meant losing loved ones, experiencing displacement, and shouldering the heavy responsibility of sustaining families and communities amid fear and uncertainty. While the 1996 FPA helped reduce large-scale hostilities, it offered limited provisions for women’s participation and protection. Commitments to development and equality were only partially realized, leaving women vulnerable to poverty, marginalization, and gender-based violence. These gaps remind us that sustainable peace must be inclusive and gender-responsive.

Despite these challenges, women have increasingly gained representation in peace processes. The late Emily Marohombsar and Irene Santiago were among the first Moro women appointed to government peace panels, while Miriam Coronel-Ferrer later became the first woman to chair the Philippine peace panel, leading negotiations for the

Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. These milestones show how women’s leadership strengthens peacebuilding and ensures that women’s perspectives are included in the path toward lasting peace.

The Magna Carta of Women, enacted in 2009, reaffirmed women’s rights in conflict situations, guaranteeing protection from sexual and gender-based violence, access to essential services, and meaningful participation in peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction. The 2018 passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, followed by the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in 2019, highlights the continuing process toward inclusive governance and sustainable peace.

As we celebrate this milestone, the PCW honors the resilience of Moro women, indigenous women, and all women across Mindanao whose strength has sustained communities through both conflict and peace. Your leadership echoes the enduring legacy of leadership embodied by our ancient Babaylans—predominantly women, who served as spiritual leaders, healers of body and spirit, mediators of peace, and community advisors in our pre-colonial Philippine society. 

Let us continue building on the gains of the 1996 Peace Agreement, ensuring that women’s voices and perspectives shape ongoing peace and development initiatives in the Bangsamoro region and across the Philippines. True and lasting peace can only be achieved when women participate fully and equally as peacemakers, leaders, and beneficiaries of development.

Lastly, we honor the memory of those who sacrificed for peace and commit ourselves to supporting initiatives that promote gender-responsive peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and sustainable development for all Filipinos.