DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE FOR WOMEN IN ASIA-PACIFIC (DIWA), THE PHILIPPINE WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY, 1743 Taft Ave, Manila, THE PHILIPPINES

The development of a Filipino women affirmative action program to reshape the future and formulate strategies to empower women in this era of globalization was given articulation at a National Conference on Filipino Women Reshaping Globalization held at the Tesda Women's Center on March 13 to 15, 2001.

The conference was spearheaded by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) through its Women's Center, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW).

It was initiated to analyze the effects of global developments on women and to draw out future prospects for women out of the present dynamic effects of the globalization process.

Specifically, the Conference delved on the analysis of the impact of market integration and information technologies on women, identification of available resources in dealing with the impact of globalization, how women can take advantage of e-commerce, the formulation of sectoral action plans that will support the strategic objectives of strengthening Small and Medium Enterprises...

TESDA Director General Edicio dela Torte stressed the need not only to identify existing gaps that need intervention but to identify existing resources that can be worked on... NCRFW Chairperson Dr. Amelia B. Reyes stated that while globalization's gains are anchored on the promotion of efficiency in production and trade, there has been inequitable distribution of benefits that have led to wider economic disparities.

In many developing countries, the adverse effects of globalization on women's lives are seen in the increasing migration of women workers, facing risks in economic and sexual exploitation.

In the Philippines, there has been a 100% increase in victims of trafficking served by the Department of Social Welfarfe and Development (DSWD) from 1998 to 1999. Dr. Reyes also stressed the need to provide women entrepreneurs with technical and financial support to equip them in a highly globalized competition.

Women entrepreneurs, usually engaged in small and medium enterprises, face stiff competition with the entry of multinational companies which offer better quality goods and services at cheaper rates. Women must learn the effective use of telecommunication technologies for networking, advocacy, exchange of information, education, e-commerce initiatives, Dr. Reyes explained.

JICA Resident Representative Hideo Ono commended TESDA's efforts to institutionalize measures that equip women with skills and capabilities and to strengthen mechanisms to enhance women's economic and social status...

He reiterated JICA's commitment to women's advancement through its support of the TESDA Women's Center which aims to expand women's access to capital, credit and technology and provide opportunities for women's growth and productivity. Undersecretary of the Dpt. of Labor and Employment Rosalinda Baldoz decried the lack of coherence and consistency of women's issues in global economic and trade policies...

Structural adjustment programs inherent to globalization have adversely affected the lives of women, who now comprise 70 percent of the world's 1.3 billion absolute poor. In addressing these inequities, government must widen women's participation in economic activities by increasing training for women entrepreneurs, widening their access to credit, and expanding their capacities...

Further discussion on the impact of globalization particularly on women workers was given by Ofelia Templo, Assistant Director General of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) who cited the adverse effects of structural adjustment on employment...

Women workers are increasingly found in the export processing zones where they are exposed to the exploitative conditions of low wages, sub standard working conditions ... The latest statistics of overseas contract workers put women workers at 60%. Women overseas workers face problems of human rights violations, contract violations, maltreatment and abuse...

The NEDA Assistant Director recommended more focused interventions for women, the strenthening of social protection and more responsive labor policies... Prevailing concerns are the growing informalization and flexibilization of women workers. Women workers in the informal sector are estimated at 5 million. Contractual workers have more than doubled from 134,000 in 1994 to 401,000 in 1997. Casual or temporary workers increased from 108,000 in 1994 to 134,000 in 1997. Women comprise majority of the workforce in the major Export Processing Zones of Bataan, Baguio, Mactan and Cavite, 74%, 83%, 73%

Women's participation in the economy can also be found in their entrepreneurial activities, most of which lie in the small and medium enterprise (SMEs) category...