Promotion
of Gender Equality
Sex
Differentials in Health and Nutrition
Life Expectancy.
The average life expectancy at birth increased from an
estimated 67.88 years in 2007 to 68 years in 2008 for the
males and 73.29 years to 73.47 years for females. The
Bicolanas outlived the males implying that more services
should be readied for the elderly women. Along this line,
efforts to meet the needs of the elderly in health should be
given attention.
Crude Death Rate.
The Crude death rate (CDR) in the region declined from 4.59
deaths per 1,000 population in 2007 to 4.46 in 2008. Causes
of mortality were non-communicable diseases.
Maternal Mortality Rate.
The maternal mortality rate decreased from 0.90 maternal
deaths per 1,000 live births in 2007 to 0.82 deaths per
1,000 live births in 2008. The deaths were due to
complications related to pregnancy, hypertensive disorder in
pregnancy, child birth, post delivery and pregnancy with
abortive outcomes, and post-partum hemorrhage of
hypertension associated with pregnancy. The same causes
were noted over the years.
Sex Differentials in Education
Literacy.
The 2003 FLEMMS reported that female literacy rate was 96.3
percent while male literacy rate was 93.8 percent. In terms
of functional literacy, the females comprised 83.8 percent
as compared to the males at 76.6 percent.
Enrolment.
The latest available sex-disaggregated data in SY 2007-2008
showed that 52.2 percent enrolled in the elementary level
were boys while 47.8 percent were girls. In secondary
schools, however, more girls (51.5 percent) were enrolled
than boys (48.5 percent). In the tertiary (55.4 percent) and
graduate levels (60.2 percent), there were more women
enrolled than men.
Sex Differentials in Labor and Employment
Labor Force Participation Rates.
In April 2008, there were 2.1 million Bicolanos belonging to
the 15 year old and above age group. Of these, 782,000 (36.2
percent) were women while 1.37 million (63.8 percent) were
men. Women’s labor force participation rate (LFPR) at 49.4
percent still lagged behind men’s LFPR of 82 percent.
Employment and Unemployment Rates.
As of April 2008, 1.01 million were employed. More women
(53.3 percent) were employed in the services sector, while
men were mostly in the agriculture, fishery and forestry
sectors(79.1 percent)
On overseas employment, women and men have the same
proportion at 50 percent.
Sex Differentials in Political and Public Life
The Bicolanas had higher vote registration at 51.7 percent
compared to men who comprised 48.3 percent of the total
number of registered voters in 2007. The proportion of women
who voted (50.9%) was higher compared to men (49.1
percent).In terms of proportion of voters turn-out, there
were more males (77%) than females (74.5 percent).
The average percentage of women in key elective posts was
only 20.5 percent, much lower than those of the men (79.5
percent). Women in elected positions included 2
congresswomen, 2 governors, 11 provincial board members, 26
mayors, 17 vice –mayors and 196 municipal/city councilors.
In 2008, most of the reported cases were physical abuses or
maltreatment and battering (13 cases), and sexual abuses
(4). Women jailed numbered 81 as compared to 1,896 men. Of
this number, 3.9 percent were sentenced while 4.1 were
detained. Legal assistance against human rights violations
were accorded to the inmates.
Gender
Mainstreaming
Efforts to mainstream gender and development concerns in the
region were underway. At the regional level, the Regional
Gender and Development Council was tasked to coordinate the
gender and development concerns. Data-disaggregation by
gender was pursued with the publication of the gender
profile by the National Statistical Coordination Board.
There were however a lot of things to do still in terms of
setting up a database on gender statistics.
With the issuance of the DBM circulars for government
entities and LGUs to formulate a GAD plan and budget,
programs/projects/activities for implementation were geared
towards the advancement of men and women as partners in
development. Regional line agencies implemented programs,
projects and activities that were organization and
client-focused. For the organization-focused, advocacy
activities and trainings, particularly on
gender-sensitivity, gender awareness, and gender responsive
planning and budgeting were undertaken. Capability-building
trainings were also undertaken for the employees on
livelihood, climate change and healthy well-being.
Sectoral Initiatives
Agriculture, Agrarian Reform and Natural Resources.
The agriculture, agrarian reform and natural resources
sectors were still dominated by men. Majority of the
beneficiaries for agricultural production programs were men
comprising more than half of those provided assistance for
crop and livestock program, as follows: rice rehabilitation
(72.2%), corn program (81.1%), high value commercial crops
(57.4%) and livestock development (94.1%). Also, there were
male beneficiaries (68.2%) for CARP activities such as
acquisition and leaseholds compared to women (31.8%). Men
(65.8%) still outnumbered women (34.2%) in terms of
membership in agrarian reform communities.
Active rural women organizations were provided with start-up
capital through the Livelihood Enhancement for Agricultural
Development (LEAD) Program and Women Livelihood Assistance
Project (WLAP). Through the small enterprise programs of the
Rural Improvement Clubs and cooperatives, additional income
were derived by the women.
Entrepreneurial trainings for farmers were on by-products
for rice, corn, high value commercial crops (mango, pili
pulp, pineapple, organic vegetables and coffee). For the
fisher folk, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
conducted fishery trainings on aquaculture, post-harvest
technology and law enforcement for 4,929 females and 6, 499
males. Fry/ fingerlings were also distributed to fish
farmers free of charge.
Both males and females availed of training on livelihood.
The Fiber and Development Authority (FIDA), in collaboration
with PNOC, conducted trainings for 193 women and 29 men in 9
host barangays within the field area of Bacon Geothermal
Plant in Albay and Sorsogon. Out-of-school youth, totaling
94 males and 112 females, were trained on abaca knotting and
twine making and 20 on handicraft making. Members of
cooperative, on the other hand, were provided with
livelihood trainings and micro lending services.
Trade and Industry.
Women involved in MSMEs were provided with skills training
on clay throwing and weaving, coco- based products, abaca
sinamay conversion, bleaching and dyeing, pineapple
processing, pastillas making, embroidery and ethnic designs,
peant butter making, product packaging and labeling, bagoong
making, beef tapa processing, and raw material conversion
and processing. A total of 900 female beneficiaries were
given managerial/ entrepreneurial trainings.
Social.
Social services were continuously geared towards health and
nutrition promotion, education for all, and skills training
for employment generation. The Responsible Parenting
Movement gained headway with the conduct of Natural Family
Planning seminars and workshops for couples at the barangay
level to promote program- responsible parenting.
Infrastructure.
Infrastructure support facilities for the use of men and
women were continuously implemented. Notable were the
construction of public comfort room in the service centers
of the Land Transportation Office and construction of senior
citizen express lanes in its districts. The Philippine
Ports Authority improved its facilities in the ports of
Legazpi, Tabaco and Matnog, particularly maintaining child
care rooms, nursing area and kiddie libraries. A half-way
house in Matnog, Sorsogon was also maintained as temporary
shelter for victims of trafficking. In 2008, it housed 258
victims.
LGU Initiatives
The Province of Albay provided health services and social
welfare programs to 281 persons with disabilities, 29,116
individuals in crisis situation and 6 senior citizen
organizations. In Masbate, once a week airing of GAD key
messages were done to create awareness on gender issues. In
Catanduanes, services provided were along health, livestock
development, livelihood, fishery and environment management.
Sorsogon established the Livelihood Skills and Development
Center to provide venue for trainings and initial production
of products.
The City of Legazpi gave focus on the child-youth welfare
program, women’s welfare program, livelihood trainings and
granting of financial assistance program. In Iriga,
livelihood trainings, e,g. preparation of detergent powder,
dishwashing liquid and fabric conditioner, were provided to
614 beneficiaries. Job placements were also given to 23
seamstresses to sew school uniforms. Sorsogon City
organized the Local Women Council composed of 30 members.
Also available were credit facilities for small enterprise
and granting of loans for the purchase of fish gears and
paraphernalia. A Crisis Center for Abused Women and
Children, known as the Balay Bukas Palad, was in operation
and served 40 women and children in 2008.
