Lying in the western Pacific Ocean, the Philippines is the world's second-largest archipelago after Indonesia. It comprises 7,107 islands, of which 4,600 are named and 1,000 inhabited. There are three main island groupings: the Luzon group, the Visayan group, and the Mindanao and Sulu islands.

Since the demise of the authoritarian Marcos regime 15 years ago the Philippines has fared better; however, the last few years have sent the country's fortunes tumbling once again. Political woes continue to set the country back. Most recently, former president Estrada was arraigned in July 2001 on the capital offense of economic plunder. Meanwhile, new president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is struggling to revitalize the country and establish her political credentials.

An organized Communist insurgent group operates in many regions of the country.  A large Muslim separatist group operates mainly in parts of the south.  Many armed clashes took place during the year; several involved serious human rights abuses by both sides. Negotiations with the former was indefinitely postponed while a truce with the Muslim insurgents were signed in second quarter of 2001.

The Philippines has a market-based, mixed economy.  Agriculture contributes about 20 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), but accounts for more than 40 percent of employment.  Principal crops include corn, sugar, and rice, most of which are consumed domestically.  Export crops include coconut products and fruits.  Manufacturing, particularly electronics and electronic components, accounts for nearly two-thirds of export receipts, although the rate of growth in electronics exports slowed considerably during the year.  Annual per capita GDP was approximately $999.  Income distribution is highly skewed:  The richest 30 percent of families earned nearly two-thirds of national income, while the poorest 30 percent received only 9.3 percent of national income, according to the most recent (1997) Family Income and Expenditure Survey.  Urban incomes averaged 2.43 times rural incomes.  Overseas worker remittances, estimated at $6 billion per year, are a major source of foreign exchange.

Nominally, the country has adequate education and health facilities. The Philippines has a functional literacy rate of 83.8 percent in 1994 (81.7 percent for males and 85.9 percent for females), above average for countries in the Southeast Asian region. However, the quality of education leaves much to be desired; in the last International Mathematics and Science Standards competition, Filipino students placed second and third to the last in mathematical and scientific knowledge. Analysts believe that the low per capita spending and too much centralization and bureaucracy has stifled innovation and creativity of teachers and education supervisors.

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The assumption to power of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was sworn in as the country's 14^th chief executive after her predecessor was declared unfit to rule due to numerous resignations in his Cabinet, brings forth renewed and invigorated efforts of women in the country's political processes. 

At the forefront of the struggle for the removal from office of Mr. Joseph Ejercito Estrada is former president Corazon Aquino, who continues to be the country's symbol for democracy and freedom. Aside from Ms. Aquino, there were several women civil society leaders who led opposition organizations during the 2001 popular uprising. These women marched on the streets, facilitated multi-sectoral meetings, negotiated with the opposing camps and talked with the defecting generals.

These same women of the civil society have worked for the passage of such landmark laws such as the 1995 Anti-Sexual Harassment Law and the 1997 Anti-Rape Law. The Women in Development and Nation Building Act of 1992 states that a given percentage of official development assistance must be allocated for gender and women's concerns-a principle that has extended to Philippine government budgetary resources.

Ms. Macapagal-Arroyo appointed four women in her Cabinet holding sensitive and critical posts such as Departments of Budget and Management; Labor and Employment; Science and Technology; and Social Welfare and Development. Other important posts headed by women in the Arroyo government are the Civil Service Commission, National Anti-Poverty Commission and the Presidential Management Staff.

There are three women elected to the 22-member Senate or Upper House and 37 women in the 211-member House of Representatives (17%).  Three of the 15 members of the Supreme Court are women.

In local governments, 14 women are elected as provincial chief executives while 132 women out of 1635 municipalities and cities are elected as municipal or city chief executives.

Abanse Pinay!, an all-women's party, participated in the 1998 legislative elections through the party-list system and won a seat. During it stint at the Congress, the party pushed for pro-women legislations such as the following: "The Anti-Trafficking of Persons Especially Women and Minors Act," "Solo Parents Welfare Act" and the Act Amending Articles 96, 124, 211 and 225 of the Family Code. It also authored eight bills and four resolutions such as the Anti-Domestic Violence bill, a bill amending the Sexual Harassment Law expanding its coverage and an Act to promote breastfeeding in the Philippines by establishing and maintaining lactation stations, providing breastfeeding breaks, including breastfeeding in the education curricula.

In law but not always in practice, women have most of the rights and protections accorded to men. The National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women seeks to coordinate programs for women, working closely with NGO's such as the 10 million-member Presidential Council of Women in the Philippines.  More women than men enter secondary and tertiary education.  Unemployment rates for women are consistently higher than for men.  Women's salaries averaged about 47 percent lower than their male counterparts'.  Except for government service and jobs in government-owned or government-controlled corporations, women continued to face discrimination in employment.

Read more about the women's rights situation in the Philippines and from the other links below:

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Important political facts

 

Major parties

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Political and government resources

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Other important links