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Women in the Philippines

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World Economic Forum Ranks Philippines Best in Asia on Gender Equity. In The News World Economic Forum Ranks Philippines Best in Asia on Gender Equity October 20, 2010 By Maribel Buenaobra In its Global Gender Gap 2010 Report, released last week, the World Economic Forum ranked the Philippines 9th among nearly 200 countries in gender equity.

World Economic Forum Ranks Philippines Best in Asia on Gender Equity

The Philippines is also Asia’s highest-ranking country (followed by Sri Lanka at 16, and Mongolia at 27). The Philippines ranks as Asia's best country on gender quality, illustrating the great strides Filipino women have made in society. The Philippines is the only country in Asia this year to have closed the gender gap on both education and health – it’s in the company of only eight countries in the world to have done so.

The report measures male-female equality in the areas of politics, education, employment, and health to capture the magnitude and scope of gender-based disparities and track their progress. Write a comment: * Required. 13 more join women bus drivers plying Metro. MAKE way for Metro Manila’s new women bus drivers.

13 more join women bus drivers plying Metro

Thirteen of them are ready to hit the road after graduating from the special accreditation course designed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda). The training included bus driving skills, basic troubleshooting and knowledge of road laws, said Edward Gonzales, head of the Road Emergency Group.

One of the new drivers is Alma Arcega, 38, a former starlet. “This is a new beginning for me,” she said. “The training was hard, but after it was over, we now know how to be responsible professional bus drivers. Arcega says it was time people discard stereotypes they have of lady drivers. “Women drivers are defensive drivers,” said the new bus driver, who led the batch during graduation rites at the MMDA compound in Makati City. For Ellen Requiz, 32, it was a matter of being upgraded from driving a passenger jeepney to a bus. In Asia, Philippines is the best place to be a woman. International publication Newsweek magazine reports the Philippines is the best place in Asia for women.

In Asia, Philippines is the best place to be a woman

The country ranked 17th overall in Newsweek’s “The Best and Worst Places for Women,” which analyzed 165 countries. The report looked at five areas that affect women’s lives — treatment under the law, political power, workforce participation, access to education and access to health care. The Philippines garnered an overall score of 86.3 out of 100, and is the only Asian country to be included in the Top 20. China came in second place (23rd), followed by Mongolia (32nd). In a statement, Malacañang said it is heartened by the results of the Newsweek report.

“This is an affirmation of the respect our culture has always accorded to Filipino women — one that manifests itself as well as in our government’s efforts to promote equal gender opportunities in all spheres of public policies and programs,” it said. More inspirational stories on GoodNews Pilipinas. Early Feminism in the Philippines. The Philippines has been noted as having one of the smallest gender disparities in the world.

Early Feminism in the Philippines

The gender gap has been closed in both health and education; the country has had two female presidents (Corazon Aquino from 1986-1992 and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from 2001-2010); and had its first woman Supreme Court justice (Cecilia Muñoz Palma in 1973) before the United States had one (Sandra Day O’Connor in 1981). These achievements reflect a long history of efforts by women to involve themselves equally in governance as well as in society. The Philippines has been noted as having one of the smallest gender disparities in the world. Photo by Karl Grobl. The struggle for women’s right to vote was the site for early feminism in the Philippines. The women’s organizations primarily responsible for suffrage mobilization had begun as socio-civic organizations early in the 20th century.

A visit to Manila in 1912 by two suffragettes, Dr.