Top business leader says Pinays admired all over AsPac

CEBU, Philippines - Women in the Philippines are admired and being looked up to by their counterparts in other countries in the Asia Pacific.

Mukta Nandini Jain, former president for the Women Entrepreneurial Council of the Confederation of the Asia Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI), said this in one of the sessions during their two-day 27th conference held here last March 15 and 16.

"We are looking up to women in the Philippines because they are enjoying equality, they are given equal opportunities, they inherit properties and branded as the 8th in the global gender gap," said Jain in a press statement released by the Philippine Information Agency-7.

Jain also acknowledged the presence of 48 women representatives in the Philippines' 15th Congress as well as women leading organizations that are driving forces of businesses.

"Here we have strong women who directly or indirectly control families, only because they are aware of their own importance. When women feel their own importance, it's when people began to take us seriously," Jain added.

Dr. Ma. Socorro Malitao, president and chief executive officer of the Association for Righteousness Advocacy in Leadership, Stand Out Group of Companies, gave the group the status and prospects of women entrepreneurship in the Philippines.

Malitao said that Filipino women play an important part in the development of the country.

In 2010 Malitao said that a survey mentioned Filipino women owning 45 percent of business enterprises in the country.  The survey also revealed that 69 percent of women were active in starting a new business; 51 percent ran the business within the first three years and 34 percent already owned established businesses.

Another study conducted by Lets Go Foundation and GE Money Bank on women who have been in business for at least two years found that 55 percent them are entrepreneurs 30 to 39 years old, 52 percent are single while married women account for 43 percent.

Almost half or 47 percent are business course graduates, 42 percent belong to broad middle socio-economic class and 64 percent were employed prior to starting their own business, the study showed.

Most of the businesses owned by Filipino women are in distribution, trading, forwarding, commercial services and retailing.

These statistics serve as indicators of changing cultural standard in terms of recognition of women as effective contributors to the economic growth of the Philippines, Malitao said.

Cebu acting Governor Agnes Magpale said in a text message that we have to thank the early advocates of women empowerment for all these gains.

"We should be able to sustain this," said Magpale, who is also the chairwoman of the Cebu Provincial Women's Council.

Former Las Piñas Representative and senatorial aspirant Cynthia Villar, advocates for the empowerment of women across all sectors. 

"It is my belief that women play an important role in nation-building. The country needs more empowered women because when we empower women, we empower families and generations of people", said Villar, who was just recently awarded as one of the Women Entrepreneur Icons and Filipina Entrepreneurs of 2013 by Go Negosyo.

In a separate statement, Sen. Loren Legarda advised Filipino women that there are adequate laws for the protection of their rights and promotion of their well-being.

 "We have diligently toiled to enact pieces of legislation to protect the rights of women and promote their welfare. The greater challenge is to effectively implement these laws and educate women on their rights. Women around the country should be aware that they are sufficiently protected under various laws," Legarda said.

 Women members of the Partido ng Manggagawa recently highlighted the economic and labor demands of women workers as the country celebrates Women's Month.

 Among the economic burdens of women raised by the group are the lack of job opportunities for women, outsourcing and contractualization, and high prices of basic commodities and services like water and electricity.

 PM secretary general Judy Ann Miranda said that Filipino women's Labor Force Participation Rate has remained within the 50 percent mark.

"This is not because women chose to remain at home as so-called 'plain housewives' but rather due to lack of opportunities.  Regular jobs have been dwindling for decades and contractualization has become the norm," she said in a statement.

The Department of Social Welfare and Developmnent is urging the public to observe Women's Month, with the theme "Kababaihan: Gabay sa Pagtahak sa Tuwid  na Daan".

The event underscores the need to accelerate women's participation in governance and enhance gender perspective in upholding good governance.  — /BRP (FREEMAN)