This paper aimed to assess the situation of women working in the CALABARZON in terms of their: (1) recruitment and selection; (2) working conditions; (3) compensation; (4) development; (5) special working conditions; (6) heath, dental, and occupational safety; (7) labor relations; (8) post employment; (9) the impact of globalization on their socio-economic life; and (10) the significant differences in their situation based on the characteristics of their company.
Using descriptive, comparative, and evaluative research designs, a survey among 172 firms registered with PEZA operating in the economic zones in Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas was conducted. A total of 327 respondents, composed of 219 women workers and 108 management representatives, were interviewed or answered the questionnaire. Both descriptive and non-parametric statistics (One-Way Anova and Chi-square Tests) were used to analyze the data.
Results showed that majority of the women workers got employed as a walk-in applicant. They perform their jobs six (6) days a week for an average of eight working hours per day. They received a monthly salary ranging from P2,000 to P12,000 per month. Results further showed that many of the women workers claim that they are given training opportunities by their firm. Since the women workers started working in their enterprise, the majority have only been promoted once, mostly one step higher within the rank and file levels, rather than moving up to managerial level. Very few women however, have experienced discrimination. Among these few cases perceived discriminations are related to education, civil status, gender, age, and economic status.
The study showed that there is a relatively low level of adoption of the provision for women facilities, family planning services, health, dental and occupational safety measures for the protection of women in the CALABARZON companies. Only a handful of the firms in the CALABARZON are unionized. On post-employment condition, analysis indicated that the number one reason for termination is serious misconduct or willfull disobedience by the women worker of the lawful orders of the employer or its representatives in connection with work.
Only 57 out of 219 women workers opined that their economic and social lives are affected by globalization, while 162 believe that it has no effect on their lives at all.
Finally, women workers’ situations did not differ significantly, whether they are Filipino-owned or not, and whether they are export or domestic-oriented. This means that globalization has not fully improved the working conditions of women, and firms in the EPZs have not truly performed their corporate social responsibility in protecting the rights and welfare of women in the workplace.
