The country observes Women’s Month this March at a time when women are among the most adversely affected sectors financially due to the coronavirus pandemic, and specifically our women entrepreneurs, big or small-scale.
But even before COVID-19, many obstacles were already testing our women entrepreneurs. And even with the Philippines coming ahead in international gender indices and local literacy rate surveys, affirming that Filipino women outperform Filipino men, experts say translating these capabilities into business and leadership opportunities is still a work in progress.
The sad truth is that the economic contributions of Filipino women are not being harnessed to the fullest because of cultural and economic setbacks. The rate of women who leave the country seeking better jobs for their family offsets the notion that the Philippines is a progressively equal opportunities country. Women often take on the lowest paying jobs with the lowest security, not just in terms of employment continuity but also in terms of health and wellbeing. Sad and unacceptable.
The Philippines boasts of having the highest ratio of female-to-male business leaders, yet experts believe that opportunities for women continue to be held back by oppressive conditions, and most of all, by persistent economic inequality. A survey by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in 2009 showing that women made up 54 percent of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which were known to be the foremost economic vehicle for generating employment. But the growth is hindered by several factors such as access to resources; the sustainability of their businesses; lack of a business discipline, preparation and readiness for changing economic outlooks; lack of women representatives on decision-making levels; lack of access to health and socio-legal protection; and a simple lack of information for a nuanced understanding on the part of leaders and policymakers.
Women are most vulnerable to cultural and economic hindrances that often force them to choose their families over their businesses. Their independent access to finance is restricted without their husband’s consent, as indicated by the Family Code. More women register businesses, according to the DTI, but more men renew licenses. The lack of organization and representation of women entrepreneurs and bureaucratic firewalls also exacerbate the situation.
Merit often predominates all other judgment, and purveyors don a “blind” attitude toward gender issues. Where agency heads perceive gender as inconsequential or unrelated to their respective agency mandates, the talk of gender will not walk far enough to reach the frontlines where it matters. If policymakers see the link between gender and national productivity and wealth creation, the case for gender will become a more attractive position.”
We can empower women entrepreneurs by eliminating barriers to accessing resources, skills, protection, and other opportunities that allow women to build up the readiness, sustainability, and competitiveness of their businesses. Local leaders play an important role if they can provide services such as financial services, counseling, and strengthening linkages through trade fairs and training seminars.
Getting women entrepreneurs organized is essential, not only to help them share the wisdom and knowledge of doing business with other women in their category, but also making it easier to inform each other of the opportunities and challenges affecting them.
Let’s empower women.
