The real deal on gender inequality in PH workplace

The issue of gender inequality has several underlying formations in workplaces in the Philippines. Though an often divisive concept, many manage to skip open conversations that tackle it. But now's the perfect time to change that.

When the World Economic Forum put together its Global Gender Gap Report in 2006, the organization saw the Philippines as one among gender-neutral countries. Does this remain true?

While efforts are being exerted to strengthen the presence of women in the workforce, there is sufficient evidence to support that some women still face pregnancy prejudice, sexual harassment, and, gender pay gap.

At face value, gender pay gap is the average difference between wages of working men and women. It is a pressing system that condones a culture of inequity against women.

ABS-CBN News' NXT collaborated with Jobstreet PH to tackle the issue during a live discussion where experts provided comprehensive details on gender discrimination in the Philippine workplace.

The live talk aired through Facebook was hosted by broadcast journalist Niña Corpuz, and was participated in by Prof. Dynah Basuil, executive director of the AIM Ramon V. Del Rosario Sr. Center for Corporate Responsibility, Buskowitz Group COO Catherine Uy, and Jobstreet.com Country Manager Philip Angeles Gioca.

Right off the bat, Basuil affirmed that although there is no disparity in lower levels of education and work, higher ranks often reveal the opposite. While the starting pay for college graduates is the same for both genders, a gap starts to broaden going up to post-graduate, and supervisory levels. Gioca supplemented this claim by saying that bigger companies have more men on top of the management.

Unlike many Asian countries where women are boxed in certain roles, Filipinas are rather freer career-wise. According to Gioca, this is due to western influence on majority of the companies in the Philippines. As transparency — one of these influences — becomes more acknowledged, more equal footing is also observed.

In some cases like Indonesia however, there is a flip on gender wage gap as women are paid more than men for the same job. 

"It is more of a supply and demand thing," Basuil said. 

If you are wondering about your own work status, about whether you are being discriminated against in the workplace because of your gender, Gioca suggested to check perception. 

To this Basuil added, "know the value of the work," to be able to objectively assess if you are unfairly paid less than your male colleagues.

Gioca also encouraged to "talk to the boss because it’s hard to speculate." 

Uy agreed. "Don’t be afraid to say what you want to achieve to your boss. The moment you share that, you will attract the perfect mentor to lead you to it." 

The experts noted to go for a mentor, not just a boss.

Watch the discussion on gender discrimination in full length here:
https://youtu.be/u7jLKfDOR0s

As for helpful points on what else drives the Filipino employee, learn the Jobstreet Laws of Attraction here:
FEMALE: https://www.jobstreet.com.ph/en/cms/employer/laws-of-attraction/data-lab/?page=/explore/gender/1?lang=en 
MALE: https://www.jobstreet.com.ph/en/cms/employer/laws-of-attraction/data-lab/?page=/explore/gender/0?lang=en

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