In the News

As we commemorate the Philippines’ Independence Day, the Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) stands in solidarity with Filipino women and the broader masses in asserting genuine independence and national sovereignty – freedom from continued foreign domination that persists through militarism and imperialist control of our economy.

For years, the country has served as a strategic outpost for the United States through military agreements such as the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). The Balikatan exercises conduct war games annually, and at least nine EDCA sites have been established across the country. Many of them are near vital resources or contested waters; there are other sites that remain undisclosed.

These agreements also enable the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to receive training and support from the US under the guise of defense cooperation and security – but in reality militarizing communities. This militarization has had devastating consequences for women and children. History bears witness to how foreign military presence has fueled prostitution and violence against women.

The Philippines has also signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) with Japan and is pursuing similar deals with France, Canada, and New Zealand. These are taking place amid intensifying geopolitical tensions between the US and China. The Philippines is being dragged into a proxy war, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. bears responsibility for enabling this heightened militarization, which significantly increases the vulnerability of Filipinos—especially women and children—to violence.

It must be noted that militarism serves to protect and ensure economic interests — in our lands, seas, and economy. It secures foreign investors’ hold on our natural resources, economic zones, and infrastructure projects under the guise of “development” and “security.” In areas such as Santa Ana, Cagayan, and other places with EDCA sites, women and their communities, especially indigenous communities, bear the brunt of economic displacement, surveillance, and militarized violence.

Today, we call on all women and the Filipino people to fight for genuine independence and sovereignty – our collective aspirations that cannot coexist with foreign military presence, economic dependence, and bureaucrat capitalism that serves imperialist interests.

Resist militarism and imperialist control! Defend Filipino women!

#DefendFilipinoWomen
#DefendNational Sovereignty

May 01, 2025

As we commemorate International Labor Day, the Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) honors the strength, struggles, and contributions of all working women across the country and around the world.

At the same time, we raise urgent alarm over the continuing crisis of labor exploitation, discrimination, and insecurity—conditions brought by neoliberal policies in labor that disproportionately affect Filipino women and must shape the choices we make in the coming elections.

In recent years, mass layoffs have devastated working-class communities. From 2020 to 2024, over 17,000 workers, mostly women in garments and electronics, lost their jobs in the Mactan Export Processing Zone. Layoffs continue to rise in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector as AI threatens 300,000 jobs, with women among the most vulnerable. In Davao del Sur, 3,200 contractual workers at Franklin Baker Inc. were placed on “floating status” with no assurance of reemployment or income.

Due to contractualization and low wages, women are more likely to experience discrimination, harassment, and poor working conditions. The largest number of contractual workers is found in major sectors (wholesale and retail trade, other service activities, accommodation and food service activities, and manufacturing). According to the Integrated Survey on Labor and Employment 2021/2022 (ISLE) data, there are only 392,007 women non-regular workers in establishments with 20 or more workers.

Contractualization remains rampant, even in institutions that should uphold labor standards. The government itself employs nearly a million contractual workers, with women accounting for almost four in every ten under job order or contract of service arrangements. These workers are excluded from the most basic benefits and protections, a betrayal of the state’s duty to uphold secure employment and quality public service.

Under the Marcos Jr. administration, only two small wage increases were implemented—insufficient against the skyrocketing prices of goods and services. Meanwhile, the gender wage gap persists. A 2022 Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) study indicated that women in digital jobs earn 18.4% less than men. In agriculture, women earn only 92 centavos for every peso paid to their male counterparts. Limited data on the gender wage gap further obscures the real scale of inequality.

Workplace violence and harassment also remain widespread. In a survey by the Lloyd Register Foundation and Gallup Report, 22% of women have experienced violence and sexual harassment at work. The majority of those who responded – 47% of women — did not report the incident due to fear of retaliation and the belief that nothing would happen if they reported it. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), many cases of sexual harassment are underreported, with only 30% of victims filing complaints due to fear of retaliation and lack of support from the company or workplace.

Worse, union and labor repression is on the rise. Only 4.5% of workers were unionized in 2022, down from 6.3% in 2018. Women’s participation in unions is still lower than men’s, especially in traditionally male-dominated sectors such as manufacturing and construction. According to the 2024 Global Rights Index, the Philippines has been on the list of the ten worst countries for workers for eight consecutive years.

The upcoming elections must be a time of reckoning. In CWR’s recent electoral survey, women themselves have made clear that jobs, livelihood, wages, and income—along with addressing the rising cost of living—are the top issues they face today. This affirms the urgent need for concrete policies and actions toward uplifting of women’s lives.

We call on Filipino women, and all voters, to reject candidates who tolerate or perpetuate labor exploitation. Instead, we must elect leaders who will champion the women’s and people’s call for living wages, decent work, and labor rights. #

In celebration of the National Women’s Month, the PUP Gender and Development Office hosted the 2nd PUP Women’s Forum last March 21, 2025, at Bulwagang Balagtas, PUP University Library.

With the theme “WE Accelerate Action”, the forum gathered women leaders from various institutions and organizations who shared their experiences, insights, and advocacy work—driving meaningful conversations on gender equality and collective empowerment.

CWR’s Executive Director Cham Perez took part in the forum to share about CWR’s work and its continued commitment to support women’s movement building in the Philippines.

📸 PUP Gender and Development Office