PRESS RELEASE  

March 1, 2026

MAMUNO KA, KABABAIHAN NG KOOPERATIBA

Philippine Cooperative Center’s Celebration of the National Women’s Month

The Philippine Cooperative Center, together with the coop sector, celebrates the National Women’s Month this March. The National Women’s Month celebration in the country is rooted in the observance of the International Women’s Day (IWD) held every March 8 annually. IWD is a celebration of gender equality and women’s rights.

The National Women’s Month highlights women’s achievements and recognizes the ongoing need to advocate for gender mainstreaming, gender equality, and women’s empowerment. The 2026 National Women’s Month Celebration continues the campaign banner for 2023–2028, “WE for Gender Equality and Inclusive Society,” which aligns with the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028.

The celebration of Women’s Month is nationally legislated and formalized through Proclamation No. 227 s. 1988, providing for the observance of March as Women’s Role in History Month, and Republic Act (RA) 6949 s. 1990, declaring March 8 of every year as National Women’s Day. Other laws provide rights and protection to underage girls, and protection and integration of women with disabilities.

The Philippine Commission on Women sub-theme for 2026 is “Lead like the Babaylans, Filipinas!”, highlighting the call for shared responsibility, collective leadership, and inclusive action among all genders in the country. “Lead like the Babaylans” reasserts that women’s leadership—“Babaylans”—is integral and fundamental to Filipino culture, history, and identity.

Women and Cooperatives

In the latest Global Gender Gap Report, the Philippines ranks 20th out of 148 countries, with a parity score of 78.1%, positioning the country as Asia’s most gender-equal nation. This commitment to gender equality is evident in the cooperative sector, where women play a central role. According to 2017 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, they made up 71.4% of cooperative members, significantly outnumbering men at 28.6%.

Despite this high level of participation, women have historically been underrepresented in leadership roles due to persistent stereotypes that frame leadership as a male domain. Studies conducted between 2013 and 2014 indicate that men occupied the majority of executive-level positions in cooperatives. However, in the years that followed, women became increasingly visible in leadership, gradually assuming more decision-making roles and demonstrating their capability to lead effectively.

According to the United States Overseas Cooperative Development Council (U.S. OCDC), International Research Group:

“Excitingly, women are equitably represented in cooperatives and are reaping economic advantages from their cooperative membership…²”

Gender mainstreaming is strong in cooperatives, and women are well-represented in the sector, receiving equitable leadership and decision-making roles. This conducive environment leads to a positive impact on women and their families, thereby making cooperatives an effective vehicle for women’s empowerment. The gender development atmosphere is highly enabling in the country, allowing open and active women’s participation, with women being among the most effective and successful cooperative leaders and members.

PCC March Celebration – K2P2: Kababaihan Para sa Kooperatiba sa Panahon ng Pagbabago (K2P2)

PCC annually holds “Kababaihan Para sa Kooperatiba sa Panahon ng Pagbabago (K2P2)” as part of the Women’s Month campaign for cooperatives. The following activities are slated by PCC for the celebration of Women’s Month:

March 1 – Press Release and Opening Celebration

Month-long – Social media campaign highlighting the cooperative sector’s empowerment of women leaders

March 12 – Kababaihan Para sa Kooperatiba sa Panahon ng Pagbabago (K2P2) webinar: “Babaylan ng Kooperatiba, Kababaihang Lider ng Kooperatiba”