Pagdipara

Caring work by poor elderly women in coastal communities in Iloilo, Philippines

Dados Bibliográficos

ID12499263
AutoresAlice Prieto-Carolino (0000-0002-7899-9411, University of the Philippines Visayas, autor correspondente), Bernice Landoy Mamauag (0000-0002-1479-1339, University of the Philippines Visayas)
Ano2019
Volume25
Fascículo3
Páginas375-395
Data de publicação2019-07-03
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAsian Journal of Women s Studies (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1225-9276 • E-ISSN: 2377-004X
EditoraTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/12259276.2019.1646493
OpenAlexW2969576788
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas2
Referências citadas22

Caring is greatly influenced by patriarchy, capitalism and family ethics that dichotomize the work of men and women. In the Philippines, the work of caring is undertaken largely by women and remains undervalued. In this paper, we examine care work using a feminist lens. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews with three poor, elderly, Filipina women from coastal communities. Their narratives illustrate the many challenges and dilemmas they navigate, given their gendered social relations and multiple marginalization. These include their need to subscribe to the cultural norm of being good and loving wives, in order to fulfill expectations of mothering. They also work as Barangay (village) Health Workers (BHWs) despite being old, perform the role of dutiful daughters and cope with their husbands’ struggles. At the same time they have to deal with stereotypes and expectations as family providers and therefore place themselves last. This study emphasizes that poverty among poor, elderly women adds to their caring work, which in turn reinforces their marginalization. There is a need, therefore, to re-examine the family as a social construct where power relations may be better negotiated and the costs and benefits of caring can be equitably shared by both women and men

Capitalism · Care work · Economic growth · Economics · Narrative · Patriarchy · Political science · Poverty · Power (physics · Sociology · Women's work · Work (physics · Gender Studies · Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Migration and Labor Dynamics