Filipino Women Active In Many Careers

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28822, 17 February 1959, Page 2

Filipino Women Active In Many Careers

"Fifty per cent of the voters in general elections in the Philippines are women, so the men have to be very carefill,” Miss Rosa Valencia told members of the Christchurch Federated Businota and, Professional Women’s Club last evening. Miss Valencia is a leader In the Philippine Girl Scouts who 'has been sent to New Zealand to study the workings of the Girl Guide movement

Addressing the meeting on "Opportunities for Women in the Philippines,” Miss Valencia said that Filipino women had become very active in politics since World War II when they obtained the right to vote. There was one women senator, Mrs Gonzales, and the first woman ambassador bad recently been appointed from the Philippines to serve in Vietnam. Equal Pay

“Women have 'invaded most of the men’s- professions—even to flying aircraft, though most of the women flyers are serving as instructors,” Miss Valencia said. Women had insisted in the Philippines on equal pay with men. There were now women judges, women doctors, women engineers, many women in law and agriculture and many in business careers. A very popular career for women was social work, and the Philippine Women’s University specialised in training women for it Since 40 per cent, of the population of the country was illiterate, there was 'much to be done in adult education. The Girl Scout movement through an "each one teach one” project assigned a Girl Scout to teach a member of an Illiterate household to read and write and encouraged the person when taught, to teach another, so that

there was a gratifying "snowball” effect As well, illiterate adults were being ..taught crafts, cookery, the utilisation and value of foodstuffs and child care under an adult education system.

grown ting ActtvltiCl Sound preparation for women's careers was given through the scout movement, by a wellrounded programme which included 11 separate activities. If a girl hoped to become a nurse, for example, the emphasis in her scouting tuition would be placed on health. Similarly, the homemaking course helped to prepare girls for home science careers and sports subjects helped them towards a career in physical education.

There was compulsory education in the Philippines up to standard 4, she said. Some families found it necessary after that, especially in poor rural areas, to keep a girl at home to help in the fields or with the domestic work. Others went on to high school and took a diploma after four years which entitled them to attend university. Schools provided vocational guidance counsellors and guidance clinics. The latter acted as a liaison between problem children and problem' homes in an endeavour to allow the child to realise the maximum potential from his education.

Teaching was another popular career for Filipino women, and secretarial work, .because of the comparatively short course of one to two years, attracted many. Activities for women were close to those which were available in New Zealand, she said. Women were active in the Red Cross and an organisation for the welfare of mothers and babies similar to the Plunket Society. Representatives from these organisations met each month to discuss co-ordination of projects to avoid overlapping. A civic assembly of women, composed of officers of various volunteer organisations, held a convention annually when recommendations were passed to the President of the Republic at a culminating function in his Palace.

Garden clubs were popular and included competitive vegetable growing and there were many orchid clubs, for orchids were plentiful in the Philippines, she said.