Pinays quit work at peak of childbearing years — study

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino women were found to stop working at the peak childbearing ages of 25 to 29 years largely because of traditionally held gender roles in home and childcare, according to a new study commissioned by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

Results of the study, titled “Determinants of Female Labor Force Participation in the Philippines,” underscore the need for policy reforms that counter stereotyped gender norms and discrimination in the workplace.

These include providing for an extended paternity leave and a stronger implementation of the Telecommuting Act.

NEDA commissioned the study to identify factors that determine the decision of Filipino women to join the labor force amid concerns that the labor force participation rate of women in the country had stagnated within the range of 49 to 50 percent in the past two decades.

In 2018 alone, the labor participation rate of Filipino women was only at 46 percent, the lowest in Southeast Asia.

Other than consideration of the peak childbearing ages of Filipino women, the study also found that patriarchal family structure, stereotyped gender roles and religion greatly affect the participation of women in the workforce.

The high cost of commuting also reduces take-home pay and heavy traffic lessens the time available for family and home care, therefore reducing the need to seek employment outside the home.

“Marriage and childbearing are associated with a significant decline in the female labor force participation, especially for the 25- to 29-year-old cohort. More patriarchal family structures reduce a woman’s employment rate by eight to 13 percentage points,” said the study.

It was also found that the labor force participation rates of Filipino women are consistently lower than those of men across all levels of education.

Religion-wise, Muslim women were found to be the least economically active in the country.

Across industries, more women are employed in the services and manufacturing sectors, in jobs that require less cognitive tasks.

“Data revealed a higher absorptive capacity of women workers by the services and manufacturing sectors, while it found a disproportionate representation of women in industries that require more cognitive skills than physical strength. There is a need to spur investments in both the manufacturing and services sectors, and to eliminate barriers to women’s participation in their preferred occupation,” said the study.

The study used the 2015 merged data sets of the Family Income and Expenditure Survey and the Labor Survey, generating a total sample of 63,327 males and 61,387 females aged between 15 and 65 years.

It also employed a qualitative survey, such as focus group discussions with women groups, government officials, an Islamic religious leader and human resource managers from the private sector.

To encourage greater participation of women in the labor force, the study also urges stronger implementation of laws governing access to childcare services in government and support for bills that propose the establishment of day care facilities in private businesses.

As it was established that mothers with young children desire to engage in telecommuting work, the study also cites the need to strengthen the enforcement of the Telecommuting Act, which allows employers to offer staff the choice to work from an alternative workplace.

It was also proposed that fathers be given longer parental leave to enable them to help more with childcare.

The study also underscored the need for the government to review educational and learning materials for early childhood to make sure these promote gender equality.