Even as the Philippines joins the world in celebrating the contributions of womenfolk in building our society this March, there is still the dismal fact that Filipinas can still be considered as a “marginalized” sector.
True, local government units (LGUs) here in Laguna province have sponsored month-long programs to give our womenfolk the “best advantages” as we all celebrate National Women’s Month. Major commercial establishments, no doubt hoping to cash in on the prominence of women on this month, have even gone so far as to offer perks, promos and other benefits for our Lagunense women.
Yet here is a question we should seriously ask ourselves: are we still free of the prejudices and biases that hold back the advancement of women in our society?
Recent statistics released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed that far from being empowered in gaining employment and livelihood opportunities, Filipinas were even more “encaged” into their traditional roles as mothers and homemakers, even as we have finally emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Data from the PSA showed that more than one million Filipinas left their jobs last January alone “because of the need to care for their families and the absence of policies promoting work-life balance,” as one of OpinYon’s columnists put it.
It is true that eliminating the preconceived notions about the role of Filipinas in society will prove to be a herculean task.
But the least LGUs in the province could do is to ensure that they can have a measure of financial independence through livelihood programs and other benefits to ensure that they can fulfill their duties both to their families and themselves.
Both the government and the private sector should also take steps to ensure more inclusive work spaces and livelihood opportunities for women, ensuring that they will also receive their equal share of the hard-earned profits of their labors.
Here’s the thing: promoting the rights and welfare of our womenfolk should NOT be confined to this month alone. Ensuring that their contributions to society will be justly compensated should be the rule, rather than the exception.
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