DOLE seeks to empower ‘househusbands’

With the growing feminization of the country’s workforce, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is now eyeing programs to empower the rising number of Filipino "househusbands."

DOLE-Bureau of Young Women and Young Workers director Cynthia Cruz said the government is organizing a dialogue with these unemployed but married men, who have had to take over the household chores to help their working wives.

"We are organizing a dialogue with the so-called househusbands so that we could find out the social implication of this situation and help us come out with appropriate measures," Cruz said.

Cruz said the rising number of househusbands is a new phenomenon that must be addressed by the government at the soonest possible time.

According to Cruz, while many women are gaining employment locally and overseas, more men are apparently being pushed to the sidelines and cannot find employment.

While it may be good for women to be working, Cruz said, it is also difficult for working women to be the sole breadwinners of their families.

She further pointed out that since househusbands are not earning, they have become a neglected sector of society — a space once reserved for housewives.

"It’s not yet a major problem at this time but we have to address this so we can avoid possible adverse effects of such situation," Cruz said.

After the dialogue, which will be held early next year, the DOLE will come up with a program to help househusbands find employment, Cruz added.

Meanwhile, Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said DOLE has asked the assistance of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in resolving the country’s high unemployment rate among women and young workers.

He said DOLE has set a summit for women and young workers next year in a bid to come up with appropriate measures to address the problem.