While Filipino women may be considered as relatively advanced vis-a-vis women in other developing countries (e.g., in the areas of education, profession, politics and legislation), they also suffer from domestic violence, economic disadvantages, discrimination at the workplace, exploitation as migrant workers and prostituted women, and displacement brought about by the intermittent wars in conflict-affected areas. In general, women are in disadvantaged position due to differences in gender roles that limit their access to productive resources and basic services.
The number of employed women (13.3 million) was lower than that of men (21.3 million) in the 2009 Labor Force Survey. There was an increasing trend of unpaid workers, 55.8 percent of whom were women. In 2008, 54.7 percent of the total number of female OFWs were laborers and unskilled workers, including domestic helpers, cleaners, and manufacturing laborers. Remittances from female OFWs worldwide were relatively lower than from their male counterparts.
Around 18 percent of elected posts in 2010 were won by women candidates. However, in the judiciary, only 20 percent of total incumbent judges were women. While women were predominant in the government bureaucracy, these occupied mostly the technical or second-level positions.
Regarding violence against women (VAW), the number of cases reported to the police rose 37.4 percent from 2008 to 2009 (Philippine Commission on Women, 2010). While there was a decreasing trend in reported cases from 2001 to 2006, the number rose from 2007 to 2009, with 10,440 VAW cases occurring in 2009. The increase in reported cases may be attributed to more women having been emboldened to report, due to the passage of laws that address sexual and gender-based violence. Still, it should be noted that the data reflect only what is reported to the PNP, and there could still be other unreported cases.
The incidence of physical injuries and/or wife battering reported to the PNP has been decreasing since its peak in 2001, with 5,668 reported cases. The decrease may be partly attributed to the enactment of RA 9262, which penalizes abusive husbands and live-in partners. Data on the number of women in extremely difficult circumstances (WEDC) served by DSWD also show a downward direction, from 7,763 cases in 1999 to 5,549 cases in 2007.However, this may have been due to a decrease in the budget of DWSD for WEDC rather than an improvement in the plight of WEDC.