She Talks Peace

Corruption isn’t just a governance issue, it’s a form of structural violence that deprives communities of safety, dignity, and essential services. In this episode, Dr. Amina Rasul-Bernardo sits down with Atty. Grace Pulido-Tan, the first woman to serve as Chairperson of the Commission on Audit. Known for leading the historic audit that exposed the multi-billion peso pork barrel scam, Pulido-Tan explains how corruption erodes public trust, fuels conflict, and continues to evolve through schemes like today’s “flood control mess.” She shares why these systemic abuses hit vulnerable and conflict-affected communities the hardest, turning stolen public funds into long-term insecurity.The conversation also explores pathways to accountability, beginning with COA’s award-winning Citizen Participatory Audit, which empowers ordinary Filipinos to join audit teams and demand transparency at the local level. Atty. Pulido-Tan breaks down the “corruption triangle” of pressure, opportunity, and rationalization, emphasizing how values formation at home plays a crucial role in resisting corrupt practices. She urges citizens, especially the youth, to stay engaged, speak up, and remember that public service is ultimately a duty to the people.🎧 Tune in to She Talks Peace for real stories of peacebuilders, changemakers, and everyday heroes across Asia and beyond.Disclaimer: This podcast was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of PCID and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

What does greatness of spirit look like in today’s world? In this episode of She Talks Peace, host Amina Rasul-Bernardo speaks with Susan Afan, President of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, often called Asia’s Nobel Prize, about the inspiring leaders transforming Asia through courage, compassion, and integrity.Discover the powerful stories of this year’s Ramon Magsaysay Awardees: a Maldivian diver fighting plastic pollution, a Filipino priest standing against corruption, and an Indian organization educating girls in rural communities.Susan also opens up about her own journey, from surviving breast cancer to leading one of Asia’s most respected institutions, and how kindness, leadership, and service can shape peace in turbulent times.🎧 Tune in to She Talks Peace for real stories of peacebuilders, changemakers, and everyday heroes across Asia and beyond.Disclaimer: This podcast was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of PCID and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

From her balcony in Bethlehem, Deputy Mayor Lucy Talgieh can see the horizon that leads to Gaza, a landscape divided by walls and decades of conflict. In this powerful episode, Lucy shares what life is like for Palestinian women caught between hope and hardship.She speaks about the realities of displacement, restricted movement, and economic collapse—and yet, she insists that resilience endures. “We resist to exist,” she says, describing how women continue to hold families and communities together amid devastation. Recorded before the October 2025 ceasefire, this conversation remains a searing reminder of how fragile peace can be—and how women’s courage keeps it alive.Disclaimer: This podcast was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of PCID and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

Filipino-Palestinian refugee Mahadia Abu Dalal spent over a decade teaching children in refugee camps in Gaza amidst the relentless sound of hovering drones and explosions. Depicting her homeland through art, Mahadia shares that from the rubbles of Gaza emerge stories of resilience—and of hope refusing to be silenced by bombs or confined by borders.Disclaimer: This podcast was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of PCID and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

As Filipinos take to the streets to protest anomalies in "ghost" public works projects, ex-Ombudsman and former Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales emphasizes that corruption, more than being about stolen funds, is about robbing people of a just, peaceful, and democratic future.Disclaimer: This podcast was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of PCID and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

What does peace look like when women lead the way? In this episode of She Talks Peace, educator and peace advocate Dr. Ayesah Uy Abubakar shares her journey from her roots in conflict-torn Mindanao to her current work at Albukhary International University in Malaysia and with the ASEAN Women Peace Registry.She Talks Peace is a production of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy, and this episode was produced for PCID by PumaPodcast.Disclaimer: This podcast was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of PCID and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

Atty. Gettie Sandoval's journey began by championing workers, farmers, and the urban poor, eventually becoming a leading peace advocate in the Philippines. With a wealth of experience in policy and advocacy, she dives into her 2018 study on the devastating impact of Duterte’s War on Drugs on women: the wives, mothers, sisters, and children left behind. In honor of Women's Month, Amina and Atty. Gettie reflect on these women’s resilience and explore the future of Filipino women in politics.

This year, the Philippines is hosting the first ministerial-level conference on the women peace and security agenda. It is called the International Conference of Women, Peace and Security or the ICWPS. This conference will be a platform to address the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which is a global commitment to ensuring that women and girls are more systematically and sustainably integrated into peace and security. In this special episode, host Amina Rasul-Bernardo shares snippets from a recently held press conference on this upcoming monumental event which will be attended by delegates from Southeast Asia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and beyond.

In this episode, peace educator Grant Lu discusses the critical importance of formalizing the teaching of women, peace, and security (WPS) in the Bangsamoro region. With roots from the UN Resolution 1325 in 2000, the WPS agenda has been pivotal in shedding light on the role of women in maintaining peace globally. Grant, an essential part of the team in realizing the diploma program of Mindanao State University on women, peace, and security — the first in the Philippines — shares his experiences in making it happen, highlighting the value of collaboration in the process.