Gender Issues

More Women OFWs Highlights Joblessness, Their Increasing Role in Families’ Survival

Strong Women. Because of the hard times, more and more Filipino women are forced to take on a more important role in the economy. This Davao woman decides to take the matter a step farther. (File photo by Barry Ohaylan/davaotoday.com)

Majority of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) sent abroad are now women, and this highlights their increasingly vital role in ensuring their families’ survival, according to IBON Foundation.

Government figures reveal that some seven out of 10 OFWs who are deployed as new hires are women. Many of these women are hired in perilous jobs such as domestic helpers or entertainers, with only a small percentage of them working in professional categories such as medical professions.

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Davao?s Ilagan to Push Mindanao Women?s Agenda in Congress


Women’s Champion. Ilagan, Gabriela’s second nominee to Congress, at an anti-Arroyo rally last year. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)

DAVAO CITY ? When she was a councilor of this city, Luz Ilagan championed the causes of women. More than any other women legislator in the city, she was instrumental in bringing to the ublicp’s attention the various issues and concerns that confront women in Davao City.

Last week, when she was elected as the second nominee by the Gabriela Women’s Party for the upcoming midterm elections, Ilagan vowed to continue these advocacies, this time on a national level but with a particular emphasis on bringing the voice of Mindanao women to the male- and elite-dominated House of Representatives.

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GMA Favors Foreign Investors Over Filipinos

MANILA — ?Malaca?ang and the legislators seem to think that the people?s demand for a wage hike merely trivial. Their vacillating stand regarding this very crucial issue is infuriating for the people who have to survive on barely decent salaries.?

Such was the criticism of GABRIELA Secretary General Emmi De Jesus who slammed the Palace for its plan to veto the wage hike bill. ?This administration obviously does not have the interest of the people in its priority list. And yet since the start of the year, the Palace has been making promises that the people can now reap economic benefits. Or are those promises merely press releases??

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Withholding of P125 Bill Insults Women — Gabriela

DAVAO CITY — “Unlike Mrs. Gloria Arroyo, the Filipino women have already gone beyond budgeting insufficient income way below the daily cost of living of the common Filipino households.”

Luzviminda Ilagan, Gabriela Women’s Party (GWP) National Chairperson, expressed this as she condemns Malaca?ang’s support to the House of Representatives in withholding the 125 Wage Increase Bill or House Bill 345.

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