Paradox and Promise in the Philippines A Joint Country Gender Assessment © 2008 Asian Development Bank, Canadian International Development Agency, European Commission, Na- tional Commission on the Role of Filipino Women, United Nations Children’s Fund, United Nations Develop- ment Fund for Women, United Nations Population Fund. All rights reserved. Published 2008. Printed in the Philippines. Cataloging-In-Publication Data Publication Stock No. BBK 155008 ISBN 978-971-561-720-8 The views expressed in this book are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and poli- cies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or its Board of Governors or the governments they represent, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the European Commission (EC), the National Commis- sion on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), or the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). ADB, CIDA, EC, NCRFW, UNICEF, UNIFEM, and UNFPA do not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accept no responsibility for any consequence of their use. Use of the term “country” does not imply any judgment by the authors or the organizations they represent as to the legal or other status of any territorial entity. ADB, CIDA, EC, NCRFW, UNICEF, UNIFEM, and UNFPA encourage printing or copying information exclusively for personal and noncommercial use with proper acknowledgment. Users are restricted from reselling, redistrib- uting, or creating derivative works for commercial purposes without express, written consent. ii The cover photograph of mothers in Barangay San Antonio, Siquijor, is the work of Karin Schelzig Bloom. Per- mission has been obtained to use the pictures featured in this publication. In all cases, the copyright remains with the original photographer. Contents Acknowledgments vi Abbreviations vii Preface ix Alignment: Themes of the Joint Country Gender Assessment ix Harmonization: Joint Country Gender Assessment Methodology xi Report Structure xi Executive Summary xiii Socioeconomic Snapshot xiii Women’s Economic Empowerment xv Social Development xvii Gender-Responsive Governance xix Looking Ahead xxi Chapter 1: A Socioeconomic Overview of the Philippines 1 The Philippines 1 The Economic and Poverty Picture 2 Economy and Employment 7 Social Development 15 iii Governance 22 Section I: Women’s Economic Empowerment 25 Chapter 2: Employment in New and Old Workplaces 27 New Workplaces 28 Old Workplaces 30 Recommendations 33 Chapter 3: Informal Work and Entrepreneurship 35 Challenges Facing Owners of Microenterprises and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises 37 Recommendations 39 Chapter 4: Labor Migration 41 Domestic Migration 41 International Migration 42 The Consequences of Migration 44 Responses to Migration Challenges 46 Recommendations 47 Section II: Social Development 49 Chapter 5: Basic Social Services 51 Education 52 Health and Nutrition 57 HIV and AIDS 61 Recommendations 63 Chapter 6: Social Protection 67 Defining Social Protection in the Philippines 68 Formal Social Insurance 69 Performance of Targeted Programs 70 Social Protection in the Informal Sector 72 Conclusion 73 Recommendations 74 Chapter 7: Gender-Based Violence 75 Prevalence 75 Domestic Violence 76 The Sex Trade and Violence 77 Trafficking of Women and Children 78 Responses to Gender-Based Violence 79 Challenges in the Implementation of Laws and Policies 81 iv Conclusion 82 Recommendations 82 Section III: Gender-Responsive Governance 85 Chapter 8: Investing in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment 89 Gender Budgets 89 Gender and Development Budgeting at the Local Level 92 Tracking Progress 94 “Engendering” the Judiciary 96 Recommendations 97 Chapter 9: Conflict, Gender, and Peace 99 Gendered Effects of Armed Conflicts 100 Local Peace Efforts 102 Recommendations 103 Chapter 10: Gender in Disaster Risk Management 105 Incorporating Gender Needs in Disaster Risk Management 106 The Philippine Response to Disaster Risks 107 Gender Awareness in Disaster Risk Management 109 Conclusions 109 Recommendations 110 Chapter 11: Looking Ahead 113 Bibliography 117 Appendix 1: The National Machinery for the Advancement of Women 127 Like Cooking Rice Cakes 128 Tools for Monitoring and Evaluating Gender Responsiveness 128 The Legislative Framework 129 Gender Responsiveness in the Judiciary 129 Gender Mainstreaming Institutions 131 Challenges in Gender Mainstreaming: The Way Forward 133 Appendix 2: Summary of the Joint Country Gender Assessment Stakeholder Consultations 137 Appendix 3: Data Tables 141 Contents v Acknowledgments This first joint country gender assessment for the Philippines was a truly collaborative effort. Led by the Asian Development Bank, the process was launched in October 2007. Karin Schelzig Bloom, poverty reduction specialist in the Southeast Asia Department’s Social Sectors Division, led the team and wrote the chapter on social protection. Ines Smyth, former staff consultant to the Regional and Sustainable Development Department’s Gender, Social Development and Civil Society Division, contributed valuable overall guidance. Sara Aulin (consultant) played a major coordinating role and wrote the chapter on gender-based violence. Jean Encinas Franco (consultant) prepared both the basic data and migration chapters. Ferdinand C. Reclamado provided production assistance. Each of the three thematic sections—economic empowerment, social development, and governance—was coordinated by a different partner institution. Jeanne Illo of the Canadian International Development Agency coordinated Section I, wrote chapters on new workplaces and entrepreneurship, and contributed to the basic data chapter. Luz Lopez Rodriguez of the United Nations Development Fund for Women coordinated Section II. Aurora de Dios of the Women and Gender Institute at Miriam College worked with Auralyn Anorico of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Grace Agcaoili of the United Nations Children’s Fund, and Maria Lourdes Quintos of The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) to prepare the chapter on basic social services. Romina Santa Clara of the European Commission (EC) coordinated Section III, wrote the chapter on gender and peace, and co-wrote the chapter on gender budgets together with Aurora de Dios, with inputs from Manuela Silva of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW). The chapter on disaster risk management was co-written by Donna Paz Reyes, director vi of the Miriam College Environmental Studies Institute, Miriam Ciscar Blat of UNFPA, and Grace Agcaoili. Emmeline Verzosa, executive director of NCRFW, coordinated the appendix on the national machinery for gender mainstreaming and provided general guidance to the country gender as- sessment team. Hilda Tidalgo of the International Labour Organization provided valuable advice and support throughout the process. The EC organized and financed all costs related to the nationwide stakeholder consultations undertaken for this report, including three regional consultations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in January 2008 and the national validation workshop in Tagaytay City in April 2008. The gender assessment team acknowledges with particular thanks the more than 200 repre- sentatives from government, nongovernment, and women’s organizations from around the country who shared their views, experiences, and case studies. Abbreviations ADB — Asian Development Bank ARMM — Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao ASEAN — Association of Southeast Asian Nations BLES — Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics CEDAW — Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women CGA — country gender assessment CIDA — Canadian International Development Agency DBM — Department of Budget and Management DepEd — Department of Education DSWD — Department of Social Welfare and Development EC — European Commission FPW — Framework Plan for Women GAD — gender and development GDP — gross domestic product ICT — information and communication technology ILO — International Labour Organization LGU — local government unit MDG — Millennium Development Goal MILF — Moro Islamic Liberation Front MIMAROPA — The region of Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, vii Romblon, and Palawan MMR — maternal mortality rate MNLF — Moro National Liberation Front MTPDP — Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan 2004–2010 NCRFW — National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women NEDA — National Economic and Development Authority NGO — nongovernment organization NPA — New People’s Army NSCB — National Statistical Coordination Board ODA — official development assistance ODA GAD — Official Development Assistance Gender and Development Network Network OFW — Overseas Filipino Worker PATAMABA — Pambansang Tagapag-ugnay ng mga Manggagawa sa Bahay (National Network of Home-based Workers) PNAC — Philippine National AIDS Council TESDA — Technical Education and Skills Development Authority UN — United Nations UNESCO — United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNDP — United Nations Development Programme UNFPA — United Nations Population Fund UNICEF — United Nations Children’s Fund UNIFEM — United Nations Fund for Women WHO — World Health Organization CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of 11 August 2008) Currency Unit — Philippine Peso P1.00 = $0.0225 $1.00 = P44.34 NOTE In this report, “$” refers to US dollars. Paradox and Promise in the Philippines: and Promise Paradox CountryA Joint Gender Assessment viii