Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — On Thursday (September 17) , President Benigno Aquino III acknowledged the role of women in helping the country achieve broad growth across all sectors.
In his keynote for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum’s (APEC’s) Public-Private Dialogue on Women and the Economy (PPDWE) at the Philippine International Convention Center, Aquino recalled Filipino women who shaped the country’s history, such as Gabriela Silang, Tandang Sora, and his mother — the late President Corazon “Cory” Aquino.
Aquino also listed women holding key positions in government such as Ombudsman Conchita Carpio, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, Health Secretary Janet Garin, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman and Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares.
According to the president, trade statistics showed that a little over half of registered trade names are owned by women. He also pointed to an Asian Institute of Management study, which showed that 63 percent of managers and business owners are women.
Aquino said that the government should provide better opportunities for women, as they are partners in achieving inclusive growth. He vowed continuing support and opportunities for women.
According to APEC, about 800 delegates from its 21 member-economies have gathered to take part in PPDWE’s series of discussions, which aim to underscore the role of women as “prime movers of inclusive growth,” APEC said in a statement.
The event is part of APEC’s Women and the Economy 2015 Fora, which run from September 15 to 18. The fora provide policy recommendations to ministers or heads of delegation to APEC’s High-Level Policy Dialogue on Women and the Economy.
Citing statistics from the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap 2014 Report, APEC pointed out that the Philippines remains the top performer in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of gender equality.
CNN Philippines’ Kimberly Go contributed to this report.
