July 15, 2009

Ramdam ang kaunlaran.

This has been the claim of Mrs. Gloria Arroyo for the past eight years in her State of the Nation Addresses (SONA).  But according to Center for Women's Resources (CWR), a research and training institution for women, the current situation of women belies Mrs. Arroyo's claim that progress is indeed felt.

A survey conducted by CWR from January to June 2009 in selected areas from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao shows that women and their families have been lowering their living standards in order to cope.

"Women continue to survive not because the Arroyo government is winning the war against poverty but because women ignore hunger pangs, making do with only one or two meals a day," said Jojo Guan, CWR executive director.

According to Guan, women's present condition is far from their concept of "progress".
To get by, more than 40% of the respondents said they slash back on their food budget. Skipping meals has even become a necessity to 21.72% of the respondents.  Meanwhile, 19.19% said they cope by buying cheap, although non-nutritious, foods. With the steady climbing prices of commodities, mothers are finding it harder each day to budget the family's meager income.    

As a result of scrimping on food, nutrition is sacrificed.  In the absence of viands, they mix rice with coffee or chocolate drinks. Eating recycled, even expired foods, popularly known as "pagpag" and "ukay-ukay" has become a common practice in communities.

"You don't need to hear Mrs. Gloria Arroyo's State of the Nation Address (SONA) this July 27 to know how the economy has performed.  Examine the health of Filipino women and their families, and you will see the real state of the nation: poor, stunted and neglected," stated Guan.

"Whatever increases in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and other macroeconomic indicators that Mrs. Arroyo is sure to claim in her upcoming SONA, the people will remain unimpressed since these are not felt by them.  With their experience under Mrs. Arroyo's leadership, Filipinos will not allow any initiative that would extend her term," added Guan.

CWR presented the result of its survey Tuesday, July 15,  in a gathering of women and women's advocates in Quezon City.  Women from communities gave a testimonial of their impoverished condition.  In the gathering, Mellisa Granale, RND of the Nutrition Foundation of the Philippines (NFP) discussed the country's nutrition situation. Meanwhile, Dr. Gene Nisperos of the Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) outlined the Arroyo government's policies on health and their effects on women.  For her part, Ms. Emmi De Jesus, GABRIELA secretary general, discussed the general situation of women under the eight years of Mrs. Arroyo's presidency.###

Reference: Ms. Jojo Guan, CWR executive director, 411-2796/ 920-1373 ; Ms. Teta Sibugon 0908-3098590

30 April 2009

Eight out of 10 young women in the National Capital Region (NCR) declared that they do not want Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to become a head of state beyond 2010, regardless of the result of cha-cha initiatives, according to the Center for Women's Resources (CWR), an independent research and training institute for women.

The survey, which was held last April 23, asked registered women voters if they are in favor of GMA as president beyond 2010 or as prime minister, should the charter change be approved. Of the 100 respondents, 84% said no. Young women comprise majority of the respondents, as 79% belong to the 18-35 age bracket.

"The current CWR survey is consistent from the other surveys that were previously conducted. Mrs. Arroyo should take heed as these came from women voters, and young women at that, which form the majority of the voting population," said Jojo Guan, CWR executive director.

The respondents said that change is urgently needed in the country and that they are not in favor of the policies of GMA and her administration. Among the characteristics of GMA that they cited are: corrupt, fraudulent, selfish, useless, and ineffective as a leader. They believe that poverty worsened and that their lives have become miserable. Lack of job opportunities, spiraling prices of basic commodities and blatant corruption persist.

Only 16% of the women respondents are in favor of GMA as president or prime minister beyond 2010. These respondents believe in her qualities and capabilities as president.

The sample respondents were chosen from the major cities of the NCR such as Quezon City, Manila, Parañaque, Pasig, Malabon, Makati, Pasay, Taguig and Muntinlupa.

The 100 respondents are composed of students, professionals, salaried and own-account workers, and housewives. This recent survey is a preliminary survey of CWR. A more detailed political-economic survey with women as respondents will be conducted again on June 2009.

On July 2003, CWR also released a survey which revealed that more than half or 52% of women voters in Metro Manila will not vote for Gloria in 2004 and expressed dissatisfaction of her performance as president.###

Reference: Ms. Jojo Guan, CWR executive director, 411-2796/ 920-1373 ; Ms. Osang Langara, 411-2796/ 920-1373

2 March 2009

Sex in exchange for a tub of fish.

As the economy takes a turn for the worst, more and more rural women are driven to prostitution. Sexual "favors "are done in exchange for fish, rice, and even coffee.
According to Center for Women's Resources (CWR), a research and training institute for women, they have been getting initial reports of increased incidence of prostitution in rural areas where food are planted and grown.

"The financial crisis has aggravated the condition of impoverished rural women.  Although they produce food for the country, they cannot cope with the crisis because, to start with, they are landless and have been earning so little," says Jojo Guan, CWR executive director.
 "We have been receiving reports that in some parts in Southern Tagalog, women in fishing communities have resorted to provide "massage service" to foreigners in private resorts in exchange for money," revealed Guan.

Since seashores have been converted to private resorts, and small fisherfolks have been prevented to fish for a living, women started working for the resorts doing laundry.  But, washing heavy bed sheets, which is physically taxing, pays too little.  As a result, women, and even their young daughters, engage in other income generating activities.

A "massage" in the beach could earn them P300. But if done inside the room, they are paid P700.

But a service could go beyond a "massage."  Allegedly, the women are paid P1,500 to provide sexual "favors" for the customers.  Owners of the private resort where the "services" are conducted, even get a commission.

Further, the husbands - who used to be fishermen but are now boatmen bringing tourists to the resorts - are even the ones who "look" for customers who want to get a "massage."
"Rural women are vulnerable to prostitution because of their impoverished situation.  Farmers and fisherman comprise the poorest sector of our country.  And across basic sectors, women and children account for the largest poor population," says Guan.

According to a CWR study (2008, still unpublished), despite the implementation of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), rural women remain landless because land inequality remains high and cancellation of titles is rampant.  The conversion of land and seashores to ecotourism and industrial use has also contributed to food insecurity of rural women and their families.

CWR also expressed concern over the possible increase in prostitution when the upcoming US-RP Balikatan military exercises will be held in Bicol this summer.

"With the presence of US troops in areas where poverty is high, women are vulnerable to ply the sex trade. In the past, bars mushroomed in areas near the US bases for the foreign troops' "R & R" (rest and recreation), and prostitution was rampant," says Guan.

"This coming March 8, women will once again commemorate the International Women's Day.  It is a good time, more than ever, for Filipino women to unite and declare their resistance to all policies that are threatening them to hunger and those that threaten their security, such as the Visiting Forces Agreement," adds Guan.###

Reference: Ms. Jojo Guan, CWR executive director, 411-2796/ 920-1373 ; Ms. Teta Sibugon, 0908-3098590

27 February 2009

The security of Filipino women is under threat.

This best describes the condition of women in 2009 as their security from hunger is threatened with the worsening economic crisis, and their security from violence assailed with the ongoing presence of US military troops in the country through the Visiting forces Agreement (VFA).

According to Center for Women's Resources (CWR), a research and training institute for women, the threat of hunger is stronger than ever for women as they confront massive layoffs and increasing repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

"Women are at greater risk since they are mostly employed in the industries that are experiencing heavy losses," says Jojo Guan, CWR executive director.  "Worse, they are hired as contractual, thus, are usually the first ones to be retrenched when companies cry 'bankrupt,'" she adds.  
        
En masse lay-offs and reduced working hours plague workers in sectors such as the garments and electronics where women workers are concentrated.  Women also compose a majority or 70% of OFWs.

"With the family's income reduced while prices of commodities are steep, women's burden becomes heavier since they are customary tasked to make ends meet," says Guan.

According Guan, while women combat the effects of the government's economic policies, they are also challenged to fend off more threats to their security in the form of VFA.

"Their freedom from fear deals with the condition that they can live in peace, safety, and they enjoy the protection of their fundamental rights.  However, this freedom is in jeopardy with the continuing presence of the US troops, especially with the forthcoming Balikatan exercises" says Guan.

According to CWR, the US-RP Balikatan military exercise, claimed to be purely humanitarian in nature, is in essence, a rape of the country's sovereignty and baring women to massive violation of their rights.

"The past military exercises resulted to the US military joining in actual combat operations. Those operations resulted to women and children victims of accidental shooting and massive displacement. Then there was Nicole, who, until now, haven't fully attained justice as the US and Philippine government connive to prevent US servicemen Daniel Smith from being jailed in the rightful facility here in the Philippines and not anywhere else," says Guan.

Guan warns that the presence of US troops would increase incidence of prostitution. With the rise in unemployment, women become vulnerable to ply the sex trade as happened before when American bases were present in the country.

However, Guan adds, history also shows that women have tirelessly campaigned and fought for the country's sovereignty and women's rights.  In 1991, women were in the forefront for the removal of US bases. They also rallied behind Nicole until Smith was convicted in 2006.

"Women will once again face up to the challenge.  In unity with the entire Filipino people, Filipino women will fight for their rights and claim the change that they need," said Guan.###

Reference: Ms. Jojo Guan, CWR executive director, 411-2796/ 920-1373 ; Ms. Teta Sibugon, 0908-3098590

6 January 2009

The approval of the House Resolution 737 is a form of violence against women and the Filipino people, said a research and training institute for women.

According to Center for Women's Resources (CWR), amid the massive landlessness and homelessness that plague Filipino women, HR 737, which seeks to allow foreign corporations and associations to fully own lands in the country, will push women and their families to further poverty.  

A CWR study shows that despite government's land reform, landlessness remains high.  In fact, seven out of 10 farmers do not own the land they till.  Also, documented homeless Filipino families already stand at about 631,451.  By allowing 100% foreign ownership of the country's land, the representatives who favored HR 737 have robbed Filipino women and their families a land to till and live on.

"The approval of HR 737 is like pimping the country to foreign capitalists, allowing the rape of our sovereignty and the plunder of our natural resources," says CWR executive director Jojo Guan.

Moreover, CWR disagrees on the resolution's basis that HR 737 will entice more foreign investments and result to more jobs.

"On the contrary, lesser jobs and more displacements would occur," says Guan.

"Proponents of HR 737, backed by the palace, are deceiving women by claiming that more foreign investments will save us from the current economic crisis. In fact, our dependence on foreign capital was what made us vulnerable to external shocks, thus, the current massive retrenchment due to the global crisis," Guan adds.

Guan adds that the government's over-reliance to foreign investments led to the neglect of national industrialization, hence, no domestic industries can absorb laid-off workers especially in export processing zones (EPZA).  The en masse lay-offs mostly affect women workers who compose 70% of EPZA workers.

CWR also expressed concern that HR 737 will not only open the Constitution to damaging economic amendments, but also to dangerous political ones.  

"Women should stay watchful and vigilant in opposing HR 737 which is a betrayal of the aspirations of women and the Filipino people.  Any moves to change the constitution at this critical time could lead to an unpopular administration continuing its hold on power," says Guan.###

Reference: Ms. Jojo Guan, CWR executive director, 411-2796/ 920-1373 ; Ms. Teta Sibugon, 0908-3098590