...the most gender equal nations

Women on top: Phl among most gender equal nations

            

By Camille Diola

(philstar.com) 

Updated April 19, 2013

 

File photo from the World Bank Photo Collection.

 

 

MANILA, Philippines - The World Bank identified the Philippines as a world leader in gender equality, particularly in the fields of legislation, management and government.

In its World Development Indicators report released on Thursday, the international organization cited latest data showing that 55 percent of Filipino lawmakers, senior officials and managers are female.

The number, taken from 2007 to 2011 statistics, is the highest in the World Bank report with data from 88 countries.

The Philippines is among the two only countries in the world with more women than men in the said professions, using the International Labour Organization's standard classification of occupations.

Although the report said that gender inequality is most prevalent in developing countries, the Philippines, a lower middle income nation, is one exception.

"The share of women in high-skilled occupations ... indicates women's status and role in the labor force and society at large," the report explained.

Following the Philippines' lead is The Bahamas, a chain of island in the Caribbean, with 52 percent of leaders who are female.

Barbados, another island country in the Caribbean, is in relatively far third with 47 percent.

Ranking fourth is Latvia with women landing in 45 percent of top occupations, while the Cayman Islands are fifth with 44 percent.

The United States, the largest economy in the world, is tied with Latin American country Puerto Rico with 43 percent.

Indonesia, one of the Philippines' peer in Southeast Asis for one, only records 22 percent of high government and business positions given to women.

The world's most gender unequal nations in the world include those that have a dominant Muslim population, the lowest being Pakistan with women occupying only 3 percent of seats in legislation, governance and management.

Also at the bottom of the scale are Azerbaijan (7 percent), Lebanon (8 percent) and Saudi Arabia (8 percent).

"These patterns of inequality begin at an early age, with boys routinely receiving a larger share of education and health spending than girls, for example," World Bank said in the report.

The study, World Bank said, is a compilation of "relevant, high-quality and internationally comparable statistics about global development."

Other indicators cited in the report under people development are prevalence of malnutrition, HIV, unemployment and underemployment, as well as maternal mortality, adolescent fertility and under-five mortality.

 

...the 2013 Miss Tourism International winner

Filipina Wins Miss Tourism Int’l Title

By ROBERT R. REQUINTINA

Manila Bulletin

January 1, 2013

 

MANILA, Philippines --- The Philippines continued its winning streak in international beauty pageants after Miss Philippines Rizzini Alexis Gomez was crowned 2012 Miss Tourism International during a New Year's Eve pageant held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was the second time that the Philippines captured the title, initially won by Ma. Esparanza Manzano in 2000, in the beauty contest, which is the most extensive pageant that promotes the tourism industry.

Gomez, 22, a registered nurse, bested 55 other global beauties for the coveted title. At the same pageant, the Cebuana beauty, who stands 5’10”, also won Best In Evening Gown. Gomez is the daughter of former basketball player Roel Gomez of Alaska. She is expected to arrive in the country on Thursday.

Other winners were Miss Venezuela Marieles Alejandra Perez (Miss Tourism Global), first runner-up; Miss Australia Monika Rodulovic (Miss Tourism Metropolitan), second runner-up; Miss Paraguay Lourdes Rolon (Miss Tourism Cosmopolitan), third runner-up; and Miss Malaysia Jun Yong Wan Jun (Darling of the Year), fourth runner up.

With two winners from the Philippines, the country now ties for the most number of wins with India (2001, 2008) and Poland (1998,1999).

Gomez earned the right to represent the Philippines in the 2012 Miss Tourism International when she was crowned 2012 Mutya ng Pilipinas Tourism. She also bagged the Best In Swimsuit, a major special award, in the same national beauty contest.

Earlier, Gomez also joined the 2012 Miss Philippines World beauty pageant, won by Queenrich Rehman, who made it to the semis of the 2012 Miss World beauty contest held in Ordos, China.

Other Philippine representatives who placed in the Miss Tourism International contest in recent years were Barbara Salvador (third runner-up, 2010), Sherilynne Reyes (third runner-up, 1995), Mellany Montemayor (second runner-up, 1998), Racquel Uy (first runner-up, 1999), and Maria Riza Martinez (fourth runner-up, 1994).

Introduced in 1994, the Miss Tourism International beauty contest is operated by its president and franchise owner Datuk Danny Ooi. While the pageant is usually held in Malaysia, the contest has been staged in China in 2006. No contest was held in 1996, 1997 and 2007.

Gomez’s victory capped a successful year for Filipinos in international beauty contests in 2012. Last week, Janine Tugonon won first runner-up in the 61st Miss Universe beauty contest held in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Other winners were Kevin Balot, Miss Tourism Queen International; June Macasaet, 2012 Manhunt International, both crowned in Bangkok,Thailand; Andrew Wolff, 2012 Mr. World, first runner-up, in London; Elaine Kay Moll, 2012 Miss Supranational, third runner-up, in Poland; Stephanie Stefanowitz, 2012 Miss Earth, first runner-up, in Manila; and Ayellee Marie Dasalla, 2012 Miss Humanity International, second runner-up, in Barbados. Nicole Schmitz also placed in the semis of the 2012 Miss International beauty contest in Japan.

...the first female amateur boxer titlist

Gabuco PHL's first female world amateur boxing titlist By Jeremaiah Opiniano, The Filipino Connection (philstar.com) May 19, 2012

MANILA, Philippines – No member of the Philippine women’s boxing team will see action in this July’s London Olympic Games.

But Josie Gabuco made up for that heartache by eking out a come-from-behind win over Chinese Xu Shiqui, 10-9, in the 48 kg. finals of the just-concluded Women’s World Boxing Championships in Qinhuangdao, China.

After being down 3-5 by the end of round 2, Gabuco stepped on the attack and hung on to a 9-8 edge after the third round. Both Gabuco and Xu just scored a point apiece in the fourth and final round.

Gabuco’s feat is the first Philippine gold medal — female or male — at the world amateur boxing championships.

The country’s women’s boxing team has been a consistent medal winner since the 2006 world championships. In 2008, it was Alice Kate Aparri who won a bronze in the 48-kg. class at the 2010 worlds in Barbados.

Gabuco’s gold is actually her second world championships medal. At the 2008 worlds in Ningbo City, China, Gabuco won a bronze in the old 46 kg. (pinweight) class.

That same tournament in Ningbo City, Annie Albania won a silver in the light bantamweight (52 kg.) class and Analisa Cruz won a bronze in the flyweight (50 kg.) division.

At the 2006 championships in New Delhi, India, Aparri won bronze in the 48 kg. class while the now-retired Mitchel Martinez won the same medal as Aparri in the 60-kg. division. Aparri and Martinez are the first Filipina medalists in the world women’s championships.

Prior to the gold medal match, Gabuco also came from behind in her 12-7 semifinal win over Russia’s Svetlana Gnevanova, the world’s number two in the 48-kg. class.

En route to the finals, Gabuco pummeled Yairineth Gonzalez of Venezuela, 24-13, then won over Bolortuul Tumurkhuyag of Mongalia by disqualification at the 1:53 mark of round three. In the quarterfinals, Gabuco thumped Kim Klavel of Canada, 21-15.

Host China won the overall title with three golds, and a silver and a bronze medal apiece. The United States won a gold, two silver and two bronze medals; Russia snared one gold and silver medals and seven bronzes; and the United Kingdom had a gold, a silver and two bronze medals.

Like the Philippines, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea won a gold medal — their only medal in Qinhuangdao.

Prior to Qinhuangdao, Gabuco’s ranked only number 28 in the 45-48 kg. class.

Italian boxers dashed the medal hopes of the two other Filipina competitors at Qinhuangdao.

The official Olympic bet of the Philippines, Nesthy Petecio, crashed in her first match at the 49-51 kg. class with a sorry 10-11 loss to Italy’s Valeria Calabrese.

In the 54 kg. class, Alice Kate Aparri almost barged into the semifinals. After a 10-all tie with Terry Gordini of Italy, Aparri just lost on a countback that’s based on the tournament’s computer scoring system.

But for purposes of the 2012 London Olympic Games, only the eight best boxers in the 51, 60 and 75 kg. classes will compete (women’s boxing will be introduced as a medal sport for the first time in the quadrennial Olympiad).

In a local box-off three weeks before Qinhuangdao, Petecio (a natural 54 kg. competitor) went down in weight to beat Aparri to become the country’s official bet for an Olympic berth in the 51 kg. class.

The Filipino Connection is a newly-opened Philippine newspaper in Batangas. Its sports section reports on national and international sports competitions.