Filipino women and COVID-19

"These and more are actual problems faced by Filipino women, especially in poor communities."

Last week, a 20-year-old pregnant woman went to her Barangay Health Center for her prenatal checkup. The BHC was closed and she was told that the service was temporarily suspended because of COVID-19. She went to a nearby private lying in clinic to get the service she needed even if she had to pay. The clinic was open but she was also told that they did not accept prenatal cases because the barangay told them not to. She was asked to just come back when she’s already about to give birth or when the quarantine is finished.

If this is the case in the entire Metro Manila, what will happen to poor women who are not able to have their prenatal checkups? How many will result in childbirth complications that will make women suffer even more, or at worst, die?

One of our leaders called me to ask how they can have contraceptive pills for their BHC because apparently, their Municipal Health Office no longer had stocks. Normally when this happens, we are able to provide them some until the commodities for their LGU arrives. This time, we could not because there is no way to send the supply to them.

These and more are actual problems faced by Filipino women, especially those in poor communities.

To begin, Filipino women are already disadvantaged because of a patriarchal culture and misogynist government officials. Despite successful advocacy of feminist organizations in passing pro-women laws, these laws’ implementation is weak at best.

Since the Duterte administration took over, gains made by our feminist movement have continuously been eroded even before COVID-19. Misogyny in government has never been this strong. Women’s rights, including laws protecting women, have been violated repeatedly by top government officials. This attitude has reinforced sexism in Philippine culture. Women’s issues are deprioritized, even ignored.

Not a few emulate the anti-women perspectives and statements of public officials, especially the President. This is most evident in social media. We have witnessed how outspoken women are sexually harassed and directly threatened with violence, mostly by men.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit us, women in general, and more specifically those in locked down areas living in poor and congested communities, have been, and continue to be disproportionately affected.

Mothers as unpaid domestic helpers

Imagine how hard it is for ordinary women who have to take care of their families. Women are our unpaid caregivers, thus, in this time of COVID-19, they are saddled with more responsibilities than the usual. With schools and most workplaces closed, mothers have to care for and attend to the needs of the whole family day in and day out. They do all the house chores and much more. Because of the lockdown, hygiene, sanitation, and disinfection have to be strictly observed and these are added to women’s unpaid carework. As the children’s first teachers, mothers also need to see to it that their children are busy, and engage in educational activities as much as possible. If a family member gets sick when health facilities are overstretched, it is the women who attend to the sick.

It is more challenging in poor households where money is scarce since doing these work require resources. Money problems are also mostly attended to by women.

Heightened vulnerability to VAW

There have been reports in other countries about the escalation of reported cases of violence against women during the pandemic. While there is none (yet) in the Philippines, this does not mean that there is no escalation of cases. Women in abusive relationships are most vulnerable when they are locked in isolation with their abusers every day.

Outside of the heightened vulnerability to abuse and violence, because of the lockdown, it can doubly be difficult to get assistance when violence occurs. Reporting of VAW cases may not be easy. Possibly, these may not even be entertained by authorities because of the workload brought by COVID-19. It is thus, understandable why there are no VAW and GBV reports as of the present.

Unplanned pregnancies and birth complications

Family planning and pre- and post-natal care are hard to get these days. I inquired with the Commission on Population about family planning and was told that FP is uninterrupted but was also told that BHCs have less people now and they are also called to assist for COVID-19 work.

Therefore, the services, especially for women, are taking a back seat. This is consistent with the reports I get from the ground. Worse, in some areas under Enhanced Community Quarantine, even private lying-in clinics are prevented from seeing pregnant women unless in emergency cases.

Post natal checkups are usually done in BHCs or hospitals. Since hospitals are overcrowded, overstretched, and there is a shortage of HCWs due to COVID-19, some services are suspended. Moreover, poor community women are unable to go to hospitals because there is no public transportation. For some women, this situation can result to birth complications.

The same difficulties are faced by poor women who use contraceptives from public health providers. Given that couples are kept indoors and sex cannot be outlawed, unplanned pregnancies in significant numbers are likely to occur and we can expect a baby boom in about eight months.

Poor women become poorer

Since the lockdown started, millions of workers have stopped working. This means that millions of workers in the formal economy, those receiving daily wages, do not get paid. Economic recession is likely to occur and loss of employment is a big possibility. Moreover, there are about 25 million workers in the informal economy and many belong to the poorest of the poor. They are unprotected by law and without the benefits enjoyed by those formally employed. A substantial number of WIE are women.

Most women WIE have lost their livelihood due to the lockdown. Even if they want to work, they are unable to leave their homes. Because they are poor, not being able to work means that they are not able to provide for their families. Surely, whatever little amount they had when the lockdown started have already been used for families’ needs. When the pandemic is over, women WIE will have difficulties to resume their livelihood activities because they will not have capital.

Indeed, women, particularly poor Filipino women are further disadvantaged by COVID-19 and the lockdown. They will need a lot of help after this. I am not very hopeful that government will pay much attention but development organizations must.

Bring women back to the agenda.

@bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Twitter