Political Science Essay

Alegre, Jewel Joy G.

Social issue: Gender Inequality in the Philippines

The Philippine setting has its concerns about gender differences. Human resource policies

that are biased against a group of individuals, regardless of skills, abilities, job-related knowledge,

and performance are considered discriminatory. The Philippines remains one of the highest in

terms of a gender equity index (GEI), ranking 10th among Southeast Asian nations in 2017

(Garcia, 2018).

Due to the ongoing pandemic, all aspects of society have been affected. However, the

existing gender inequality among organizations has continued to worsen. Men and women suffer

from the pandemic differently due to a disproportionate share of the burden. The majority of

women are disproportionately represented in many of the industries, especially frontline industries.

The majority of the workers are underpaid and have no choice but to continue working despite the

risk of COVID-19. Moreover, many workers have lost their jobs. The Philippines hit an 8.1%

unemployment rate. However, 8.3% of women lost their jobs, unlike men with 7.9 (Noble, 2021).

The Philippines also has its concerns about gender differences. The statistics from the

labor force showed that women are mostly employed in labor flexibility arrangements in the big

services sector such as retail trade. This makes them exposed to employment insecurity and unfair

compensation schemes (Anonuevo and Stiftung, 2000).

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The Philippines ranked down three spots on the Global Gender Gap Index, and the worsening

performance is due to wage inequality for the similar work that has been carried out (Ladrido,

2019).

Moreover, the Asian Development Bank (2013) has expressed that the gender gap in

human capital reflects the gender segregation of individuals when it comes to training and

education. The gender segregation in training available to women constrains their participation in

the labor force. They implied that in primary and secondary education, the Philippines has attained

gender inequality. However, due to gender segregation when it comes to the types of training and

tertiary education, differences still prevail. These differences emphasize the fact that more effort

needs to be done to achieve workplace gender equality.

Based on the aforementioned statements, gender inequality is still prevalent. It can have

both positive and negative impacts on individuals. However, the majority of the studies state the

negative effects of gender inequality on the employees of an organization, most especially for

female employees in the Philippines. Women encounter salary gaps, discrimination, and a lack of

opportunities. This has been hindering women in landing higher positions. This has continued to

worsen since the pandemic occurred. It has been negatively affecting the employees, especially

women.

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References:

Anonuevo, C.A.Q., Stiftung, F.E. (2000, September). An Overview of the Gender Situation in

the Philippines. https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/philippinen/50069.pdf

Asian Development Bank. (2013). Gender Equality in the Labor Market in the Philippines.

https://investinginwomen.asia/knowledge/gender-equality-labor-market-philippines/

Garcia, C.M. (2018, November). Gender Bias in the Philippine Labor Market: Case of Filipinas

in Informal Sector and Precarious Work.

https://www.academia.edu/37879746/Gender_Bias_in_the_Philippine_Labor_Market

Ladrido, P. (2018, August 29). Does ‘gender equality’ exist in the Philippines

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/life/culture/2018/08/29/young-pinays.html

Noble, L.W.T. (2021, October 25). Coronavirus pandemic worsens gender balance, hurts Filipino

women the most. https://www.bworldonline.com/coronavirus-pandemic-worsens-gender-

balance-hurts-filipino-women-the-most/

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