DARLENE Marie Berberabe delivers her keynote address during the Gender and Development Forum, emphasizing inclusive leadership and expanded access to opportunities for women.
PHOTOGRAPH courtesy of LANDBANK
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The Department of Finance (DoF) and Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) underscored the importance of inclusive leadership and gender-responsive institutions during a forum marking the culmination of the 2026 National Women’s Month celebration.
The Gender and Development (GAD) Forum, titled “SHE INSPIRES: Visionary LeadHERship in Action,” gathered leaders and advocates on 23 March at LandBank Plaza in Malate, Manila.
Among those present were LandBank president and CEO Lynette Ortiz, Solicitor General Darlene Marie Berberabe, and Finance Undersecretary Krystal Lyn Uy.
Officials highlighted the role of inclusive leadership in national development, particularly in expanding access to financial services for underserved sectors such as farmers, fisherfolk, small entrepreneurs, and rural communities.
“More than profit, LandBank exists to make the financial system reach Filipinos who have been left outside of it. These are the farmers, fisherfolk, small entrepreneurs, and communities in the countryside that commercial banks find too small or too remote to bother with,” Berberabe said.
She added that expanding access to credit goes beyond financial support and represents institutional trust, calling for deliberate efforts to widen opportunities for women through education, mentorship, leadership pipelines, and recognition.
“When one woman rises, the question is never only whether she has succeeded. The deeper question is whether the path behind her remains narrow or whether it widens for others. So, let us widen it together,” she said.
The forum emphasized the need to strengthen pathways for women in leadership and ensure that gender equality becomes a sustained and integral part of governance and development efforts.
