Role of Women in

National
Development
Jazper Louie B. Lim
Culture and Social Norms
• So much practice still prevail which pull women backwards, in the
name of culture and tradition.
• It is the responsibility of all political parties to constantly, identify
the said factors so as to create platforms for their interrogation,
deconstruction and reconstruction.
• The conspiracy of silence about traditional values and cultural
practices which disempowers women, is a betrayal of the struggle
for gender equality.
• The role of women was reduced to housekeeping and childrearing
as this was stereotypical at that time.
• Despite all of these impressions on women, Dr. Maria Luisa
Camagay, in her book, Working Women of Manila in the 19th
Century, wrote that “… Filipino women of the Spanish period had a
mind of their own, assertive, active, and enterprising…” However,
because of the norms set by the Spaniards, their status remained to
be inferior to men.
The role of women in rural development
• Rural women are key agents for development.
• These are further aggravated by the global food and economic
crises and climate change.
• Empowering them is essential, not only for the well-being of
individuals, families and rural communities, but also for overall
economic productivity, given women’s large presence in the
agricultural workforce worldwide.
• UN Women supports the leadership and participation of rural
women. Training equips them with skills to pursue new livelihoods
and adapt technology to their needs.
The role of women in Work Force
• At the turn of the 19th century, numerous occupations became
highly dependent on the presence of women employees, especially
in the manufacturing industry.
• The entry of women into the factory system showcased their
industrious prowess highlighting their qualities like adaptability,
patience, and the resistance to commit frauds, which were deemed
advantageous.
• Filipinas possessed great skills in weaving, using different kinds of
fiber like abaca, pineapple, silk, and cotton, to make a variety of
cloths. They also excelled in making hats, cigar cases, mats, baskets,
slippers, purses, umbrellas, seat covers, etc.
The role of women in food production

• Women play a key role in food production and form a large

proportion of the agricultural work force globally.
• Given equal resources, women could contribute much more. FAO
estimates that if women farmers (43 per cent of the agricultural
labour force in developing countries) had the same access as men,
agricultural output in 34 developing countries would rise by an
estimated average of up to 4 per cent.
• This could reduce the number of undernourished people in those
countries by as much as 17 per cent, translating to up to 150 million
fewer hungry people.
The role of women in poverty eradication

• Many of the world’s most poor are women. Poverty eradication is a

key challenge for women.
• Poverty eradication is about enabling women to have income
security, sustainable livelihoods, access to decent work, and full and
productive employment.
• It is about valuing, reducing, and redistributing unpaid care and
domestic work, and the provision of infrastructure and social
protection, which otherwise creates and perpetuates time and other
types of poverty for women and girls and deprives them of other
opportunities.
The role of women in poverty eradication

• New poverty estimates from the World Bank show that the proportion of
people living on less than USD 1.25 a day fell from 47 per cent in 1990 to
22 per cent in 2010, across every developing region. Yet, 1.2 billion people
are still living in extreme poverty.
• Care work for the family and the community is essential to human life
and to the social and economic foundations of all economies. It enables the
“productive” economy to function as it supports the well-being of the
workforce, children, older persons and people with disabilities, and
subsidizes the monetized economy.
• Women’s unpaid work contributes $10 trillion per year globally, or 13 per
cent of global GDP, according to the High-level Panel for Women’s
Economic Empowerment. Hence, we need to implement a gender-
responsive approach to fashioning a new quality, paid care economy as
we tackle the poverty, jobs, economic growth and inequality crisis and
nexus.
The role of women is Education
• In the article written by Carolyn Sobritchea, she mentioned that,
• “the kind of education the Filipino women received during the
American colonial period primarily prepared them to respond to
the demands of the colonial bureaucracy and economy. With the
increase in the female literacy rate, more women gained access to
new types of work and careers, like in law and science.”
• The significance of this is that women were able to get the
opportunity to break away from traditional gender-related roles.
This rise in opportunity became the guiding light towards the
independent Filipino women that we see today.
Women in the Philippines
• The role of women in the Philippines (Filipino: Kababaihan sa
Pilipinas)
– is explained based on the context of Filipino culture, standards,
and mindsets. The Philippines is described to be a nation of
strong women, who directly and indirectly run the family unit,
businesses, government agencies and haciendas.
• Although they generally define themselves in the milieu of a male-
dominated post-colonial society, Filipino women live in a culture
that is focused on the community, with the family as the main unit
of society, but not always as this is a stereotype.
• It is in this framework of Philippine hierarchical structure, class
differences, religious justifications, and living in a globally
developing nation wherein Filipino women are respected well by
men. Compared to other parts of Southeast Asia, women in
Philippine society have always enjoyed a greater share of equality.
 Contemporary roles
• Filipina Millennials preparing for town activities.
• Modern-day Philippine women play a decisive role in Filipino families. They
usually handle the money, act as religious mentors, and can also make all the
important family decisions.
• Urban setting
– In the past, firms and businesses generally hire Filipino women for less pay and secretarial
functions. But at present, Filipino women are given the same opportunities as their male
counterparts in the business realm.
– This is due to the political and economic changes at the global and national levels in urban
society that have led to the growth of export-based industries and the service sector, which then
created more opportunities for Filipino women.
– About one-third of businesses in the Philippines are operated by Filipino women. Many
Filipino businesswomen in the urban sector can be found in the hospitality sector, marketing,
publishing, real estate, transportation, financial consulting, trade and services, electronics and
appliances, and much more.
• Rural and tribal clan setting
– In rural areas, the Filipino woman belongs in the home. The children approach
her for money and help. She is the family's treasurer. She supports the
children’s educational needs. For non-family members who require support,
the wife is the person to be approached. However, ]the wife is neither the
person who makes the final decision or the person who hands out the money.
– Juan Flavier, a physician, an authority on community development, and a
former Philippine senator, described in his book, Doctor to the Barrios, that
"whether some (Filipino) men are willing to admit it or not"... "rural women in
the Philippines wield considerable authority," the housewife in particular. This
is especially if the housewife, who is often referred to as the Ilaw ng
Tahanan (Light of the Home), is convinced of the benefits that will be gained
from a certain practice such as the concept of family planning in the barrios.
Flavier also mentioned that "In the Philippine barrio, the one responsible for
the home" and its management "is the wife... she holds the key to...
household... Development.”
• Filipino women and work
– Traditionally, rural and tribal women do all the household related chores. Heavy
works that require more strength is done by the husband. Now, the chore work is
evenly distributed with the men doing just as much work as the women.
– The scope of their functions include cooking, cleaning, teaching the children,
washing clothes, repairs, budgeting, and helping in the farm. The husband is the one
who makes sure the farm would yield quality crops, so he does all the maintenance
work. In some cases, where the husband needs help from other men, the wife would
make sure that the men are fed, so she cooks food and bring it to the farm. The
Filipino women, ensures that everyone is well fed, including any workers, relatives,
or visitors.
– In general, Filipino women find pride in their work. They do not find themselves
alienated from their chores because they work with, around, and for their families.
This family-oriented mindset gives them a sense of dignity and responsibility. The
family and the children are the primary priority some Filipino women's life. In
addition to doing housework, the contemporary role of a Filipino wife today is to
provide financial support in the household by seeking employment in higher-
earning occupations which then expands the Filipino female work outside the
household.
• In the early 1900s, the female workforce in the Philippines was also a highly
debated topic during workers’ conferences. In 1910, during the first Congress of
Labor, the decision to enact a law that would regulate the employment of women
and children was approved due to poor working conditions (“dark and ill-
ventilated rooms, smoke-filled factories”, etc.) for women and children.Then, in
March 1923, “An Act to Regulate the Employment of Women and Children in
Agricultural and Non-Agricultural Establishments and Other Workplaces” was
passed to oversee the welfare of women and children.
• In 1960, under the Department of Labor, the Bureau of Women and Minors was
created and was responsible for the promotion, development, and the protection
of the welfare of working women and minors. Since then, more acts were made to
oversee the welfare of women workers, as seen in both the 1935 and 1973
constitutions.
• Filipino women and Philippine politics
• Compared to other countries, Filipino women have gained and enjoyed equal
rights with men. They have become presidents, senators, congresswomen, mayors.
They have served in government offices, and have held cabinet positions for
presidents. Filipino women have proven that they are capable of carrying out
responsibilities and tasks as well as their male counterparts. There are 48 women
Representatives elected in the 15th Congress (2010 national election). They
accounted for 21.6 percent of the total 222 Representatives as members of the
Lower House. In 2010 Senatorial election, there were 14 women who ran out of 61
candidates (23.0%), of which two entered the top 12 winning senators (16.7%).
• The number of women who engage in politics are smaller compare to their male
counterparts. This was primarily because engagement in politics is considered
"dirty."
• A recent study revealed that there is a re-emergence of the empowerment of
Filipino women through the political process, just as they were prior to the arrival
of conquerors from Spain. Philippine women are rediscovering their strengths.
Filipino women had been successful in implementing policies by becoming
executive staff members, advisers to politicians, and as advocates within non-
governmental organizations.
• Modern-day Filipino women are making strides in electoral politics by initiating
more female-oriented programs. They are performing well as leaders, although
generally, Filipino women still often earn political seats by having fathers and
husbands who are politically connected, a "dynasty system" that hinders other
Filipino women from joining the electoral process. Other factors that prevent full-
engagement of other well-qualified Filipino women from the Philippine political
scene are the expense in politics and the importance of the family name.[7]
• Participation of Filipino women in Philippine politics was encouraged during the
Beijing Declaration in 1995 at the United Nations' Fourth World Conference on
Women. In February 2005, however, a United Nations review on the progress of
Philippine women and their role in politics revealed that despite "an increase in the
quality of female politicians, there was not enough increase in" the number of
women participants in government activities.
• From 1992 to 2001, Filipino women had been elected as local chief executives,
functioning as mayors, governors, and captains of villages. One influential factor
contributing to the increasing number of female politicians, is the elevation of
Corazon Aquino and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as Philippine women Presidents
Women and government in the Philippines
• Women and government in the Philippines describes the trend on
how women in the Philippines participate in the politics and governance of
the Republic of the Philippines throughout its history. There had been a
gradual increase in the number of Filipino women participating in Philippine
politics, both at the local and national level.
• Female involvement in the political environment of the Philippines was
highlighted by the election of two women as President of the Philippines,
namely Corazon Aquino and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
 Legal basis

• Representation and integration of Filipino women in Philippine politics at the

local and national levels had been made possible by legislative measures such
as the following: the Local Government Code of 1991, the Party List Law, the
Labor Code of 1989, the Women in Nation Building Law (Philippine Republic
Act No. 7192 of 1991), the Gender and Development Budget (GAD), the 1988
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, the Philippine Republic Act No. 7688 of
1994, the 1990 Day Care Law (Republic Act No. 6972), the 1996 Paternity Leave
Act, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law (Republic Act No. 7877 of 1995), the
Philippine Republic Act No. 7822 of 1995, the Philippine Republic Act No. 8353
of 1997, the Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development (1995-2025),
and the Philippine Plan for Women which includes the Framework Plan for
Women (FPW).
• Decision-makers and diplomats
• In terms of decision-making positions and diplomatic posts, there had been 138 female
Filipino diplomats, wherein 37 were ambassadors (chiefs of missions), 21 were minister-
counsellors, and 80 were foreign service officers. According to a Statement of
the Philippine Commission on Women: On International Women's Day on March 11, 2013,
Filipino women had been appointed by the Philippine president to "top strategic and non-
traditional government posts" including positions such as Chief Justice, as Secretary of
Justice, and as Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.
• Military and policing
• Main articles: Women in the Philippine military and Women in the Philippine police force
• In relation to the number of women in the Philippine military and in the Philippine police
forces, 7 Filipino women had been among the 147 people who graduated from
the Philippine Military Academy in 1995, meaning that 3.1% of the 2,658 police were
females.
• Labor unions
• In 1993, there were 41.4% registered labor union female members in the private industry
sector. From 1994 to 1996, there was about 60% registered labor union female members in
the public sector. 20.7% of the registered women members in the public sector were
holding positions as labor union presidents.
 Obstacles
• Among the hindrances in participation of women in Philippine
politics identified by Helga in her 2003 report include Philippine
society's definition of women's role in the community.
• This role describes women in the Philippines as persons more
appropriate for secondary roles such as being supporters of their
politician husbands, become "diplomatic entertainers" for their
husband's constituents, being providers of charity work and social
welfare functions, their maternal role as caretakers of the next male
generation of male politicians, and the access to resources for those
who were elected to decision-making positions.
Philippine Commission on Women
• The Philippine Commission on Women (formerly the National
Commission on the Role of the Filipino Women), is a government
agency run by the government of the Philippines with the intention of
promoting and protecting the rights of the Women in the Philippines. It
was established on January 7, 1975 through Presidential Decree No. 633.
• On August 14, 2009, the Magna Carta of Women was signed into law
providing better protection for women. According to the United Nations'
2009 Human Development Report, the Philippines is 40th out of 155
nations when the gender-related development index is compared directly
to the human development index, While the World Economic
Forum's Global Gender Gap Report for 2009 lists the country at a ranking
9 among of about 130 countries.
• On July 4, 2016, PCW was among the 12 agencies, formerly from the
Office of the President reassigned to the Office of the Cabinet Secretary,
based on Executive Order #1 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Gender and Development
• Gender equality = women and men have equal conditions for
realising their full human rights and for contributing to, and
benefiting from economic, social, cultural and political
development.
• - stimulate growth and reduce poverty
- reduce inequities
- contribute to child development