The Philippines Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (PH-EITI) recently held the 2026 Women in Extractives Forum (WEF), an online event that spotlighted the experiences, challenges, and leadership of women in extractive governance. Held via Google Meet on March 26, the forum formed part of the celebration of National Women’s Month 2026.

With the theme “Voices That Matter: Women’s Lived Experiences in Extractive Governance,” the forum brought together women workers and community leaders, government agencies, gender and development specialists, mining company representatives, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders in a shared conversation on inclusion, leadership, and reform in the extractive sector. 

In his opening message, Finance Undersecretary Bayani H. Agabin, PH-EITI’s Focal Person and Chair, recognized the importance of building a more gender-responsive sector. He emphasized the need to create workplaces and governance spaces where “women and marginalized groups are not only protected but also empowered to lead and thrive.”

The forum featured three women speakers who shared stories from their respective communities and sectors, highlighting their work in community development, environmental stewardship, livelihood initiatives, and mining-related activities. 

Editha Belingon, lead weaver of the Alayan Pag-Asa Abot Palad Association, Inc. (APAPA), spoke about the work of women from the Tuwali, Ayanggan, Bontok, and Ibaloi communities. She shared how 36 women workers are advancing a community-based livelihood initiative anchored on weaving. Their project, called “Mun-Abol”, a tuwali term for weaving, also stands for Maximizing networking and Unveiling Natural Talents through the Accelerations of Business Opportunities and Livelihood Projects. 

Belonging to a group that has gained wider recognition, Belingon also highlighted APAPA’s success in securing a three-year grant from 2026 to-2028 through OceanaGold Philippines, Inc.  and the World Gold Council for the Women’s Economic Advancement through Value-adding Enterprise, or WEAVE project.

Gemma Domingo, Chairperson of the Puerto Galera Eco-Tourism Area Management Council, discussed the growing role of women in environmental stewardship and local decision-making. She shared how women in the communities of Barangay Dulungan and Tabinay stepped into new roles after a provincial moratorium on mining in 2012 disrupted livelihoods that many families depended on. 

As economic pressures mounted, women in the community took on a more active role in sustaining their households. In 2013, the Malampaya Foundation Inc. entered into a conservation partnership with the communities of Dulangan and Tabinay, helping create alternative and more sustainable livelihood pathways. Over time, this collaboration helped strengthen community organizations such as the Samahang Pangkabuhayan ng mga Taga-Dulangan (SPTD) and Tabinay Puerto Galera Sagip Kalikasan Kabuhayan Movement (TPGSKKM). Today, these groups are involved in conservation and mangrove rehabilitation efforts, with 48 active members, 44 of whom are women. 

Dr. Sarah Marie Pante-Aviado, Provincial Information Officer of the Provincial Government of Camarines Norte, also spoke about the evolving role of women in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). She noted that women are increasingly visible in tasks such as panning, sluicing, and mucking, which are often labor-intensive and have traditionally been seen as male-dominated work. 

Beyond these field roles, Dr. Pante-Aviado explained that women are also contributing more broadly across the extractive sector, from processing of documents and visiting mining development areas to serving as contract holders. Their growing presence, she said, reflects a broader shift toward greater participation and leadership.

Following the speakers’ presentations, a panel of professional reactors shared their reflections. These included Assistant Secretary Luz Yringco of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), Eleanore A. Layug of SGV & Co. and DIWATA Women in Resource Development, Inc., and Professor Maria Aurora Teresita Tabada of the Visayas State University and the  PH-EITI Multi-stakeholder Group (MSG). Their comments centered on the contributions of women to  cooperative movements, economic development, and more inclusive governance. 

Professor Tabada underscored how the EITI has increasingly integrated gender into its framework. She noted that “the EITI Standards now have very clear gender considerations, like promoting gender equity, ensuring women’s participation in the extractive governance, not just in the industry itself, but in how the industry is being managed and being run, and improved gender data disclosures.” 

The forum highlighted how women, particularly Indigenous women and women in rural and mining-affected communities, are helping reshape the extractive sector in meaningful ways. Their stories reflected not only resilience, but also a growing presence in leadership, decision-making, and community transformation within what has long been considered a male-dominated space. 

In his closing remarks, Atty. Ronald Rex Recidoro, Executive Director of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines and a member of the PH-EITI MSG, called on participants to move beyond listening and toward action. Reflecting on the stories shared during the forum, he said these were not merely personal accounts, but calls for meaningful change. “The stories told today were not just testimonies, hindi lang po siya kwento. Tanggapin natin siya bilang isang call to action,” he said.  Legal and policy frameworks must be reformed. Financial inclusion must extend to community women and Indigenous Peoples, and meaningful participation cannot be a token gesture.”