On crisis being worse for Asian women

"The pronouncement by the International Labor Organization (ILO) that some 22 million Asian women risk losing their jobs because of the economic downturn affirms the continuing workplace gender bias against women. The majority of female workers find themselves in casual, temporary, sub-contracted and informal employment, thereby subjecting them to poor working conditions and low wages, sans social security benefits.

"Women employed by export industries like electronics and textiles will be hardest hit and government, using its touted P300-billion stimulus program, must come up with industry and even-gender specific livelihood programs for the displaced workers. More diverse career and employment opportunities must be made available to Filipino women and society's lingering bias towards them must stop.

"A few years back, I launched a skills and livelihood program called Loren for Military Dependents or Mildeps out of the realization that the mostly female dependents of military and police personnel must be empowered to have careers of their own. I believe that two-income families, in which both the husbands and wives are earning, are in a better position to improve their quality of life vis-a-vis the families that rely on sole breadwinners."