Former congressman and Civil Service Commission chairperson Karlo Nograles stressed the role of establishing more community day care centers in Davao City to increase employment opportunities for women, especially those who are outside the labor force because of unpaid care work.
“We should not neglect our working mothers. It is easier for families to overcome poverty if they can rely on more sources of income instead of having a sole breadwinner. However, unpaid care work, which usually falls under the responsibility of women because of societal norms, hinders families from the opportunities and financial breathing room that come with having more than one source of funds,” Nograles said.
Nograles said that Davao City could help unlock more income opportunities for families by providing more childcare facilities and services at the community level, as the time spent on tending to the household could instead be diverted towards earning money.
“If Davao has more government-funded community day care centers, stay-at-home mothers can explore joining the workforce knowing that their children are cared for in a safe and secure environment. Kung may day care center, mas maraming oras ang mailalaan ng mga nanay sa pagtrabaho, pag-negosyo, o pag-aaral at training.”
According to the 2021 National Household Care Survey conducted by Oxfam International, Filipino women spend up to 13 hours a day on unpaid care work, compared to only eight hours for men.
“We also plan to engage industries in Davao so that we can come up with flexible work arrangements for women. With our push towards a ‘digital Davao’ I believe that we can make this viable.”
Due to the long hours dedicated to managing their homes and caring for their families, “women either do not have time or are too tired to pursue productive activities that could contribute to the family income or provide personal fulfillment and growth,” Nograles argued.
Citing a 2019 Philippine Institute for Development Studies report that estimated that women’s unpaid care work accounted for nearly P2 trillion, or 20 percent of the country’s GDP, Nograles said that “lessening the hours women spend on care work would translate to economic benefits for the country.”
Nograles also said that besides putting up more day care centers, the city government must also provide easier access to training and support for entrepreneurship and other forms of livelihood.
“We also plan to engage industries in Davao so that we can come up with flexible work arrangements for women. With our push towards a ‘digital Davao’ I believe that we can make this viable,” he said.
