Men’s labor participation still greater – NSCB

Filipino women’s participation in the country’s labor force is increasing but still lower than that of men, according to according a report from the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).

“The participation of women in the labor force has noticeably been increasing over the years. However, a wide gap between women and men still persists in the labor force participation rate,” NSCB Secretary General Jose Ramon Albert said in the report titled “Gender equality in the Philippines . . . what’s the real score?”

Albert noted that in 2011, the data from the National Statistics Office showed that labor force participation rate for women (50.4 percent) was significantly lower than that of men (79.0 percent).

“This could be due to gender biases as well as constraints in the household, such as domestic responsibilities (which itself is a gender issue),” he added.

In terms of employment rate, the NSCB chief mentioned that the latest data show that women enjoy a higher employment rate at 93.3 percent than their male counterparts at 92.7 percent.

Equivalently, there is a higher unemployment rate among men at 7.3 percent than women at 6.7 percent, he stated. Furthermore, Albert said that data also showed that the majority of persons employed as professionals are women.

He noted that in 2011, there was a larger proportion of women professionals (68.3 percent) than men (31.7 percent).

Also, the proportion of women government officials, corporate executives and managers was slightly higher at 52.1 percent compared to that of men at 47.9 percent.

Data also showed that there were as many women technicians and associate professionals (51.3 percent) as men (48.7 percent).

“But still, most of the plant and machine operators and assemblers, farmers, forestry workers and fishermen, and trades and related workers were men and most of the professionals and clerks were women,” Albert said.

He added that men dominate all industries except for hotels and restaurants, financial intermediation, wholesale and retail trade, health and social work, education and private households with employed persons.

On the other hand, Albert explained that the NSCB report is in connection to the celebration of 2013 Women’s Month.

He said that every March, the role of Filipino women in the social, cultural, economic and political development in the country was highlighted.

The NSCB chief also noted that for development to be sustainable, growth must be inclusive, and for this to happen, it is important that equal opportunities for education, health, and labor be given to everyone, regardless of sex, religion, and income class.

Albert further said that that poverty reduction is intertwined with addressing gender inequalities, and understanding where, why and how gender inequality arises is a vital pathway toward inclusive growth and development.

“Whether woman or man, rich or poor, urban folk or rural folk, everyone must contribute to and benefit from the economic, social, political, cultural and environmental development of the country,” he said. –MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO REPORTER, Manila Times