MANILA, Philippines (April 2026) — Women make up the majority of workers in the Philippines’ tourism and creative sectors, yet they remain underrepresented in leadership and ownership roles, a recent webinar highlighted.
Experts from the Philippine APEC Study Center Network of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies and the Asian Institute of Management – Dr. Andrew L. Tan Center for Tourism said women’s participation does not always translate to empowerment. While tourism and creative industries combined generated PHP 4.29 trillion (approx. $73 billion) in gross value added and employed over 14 million Filipinos, women are mostly concentrated in labor-intensive roles such as hospitality, food services, handicrafts, and cultural production.
Tourism alone contributed PHP 2.35 trillion (approx. $40 billion) and supported 6.75 million jobs, or 13.8 percent of total employment, while the creative industries generated PHP 1.94 trillion (approx. $33 billion) and employed 7.51 million, or 15.4 percent of total employment.
Participation doesn’t equal empowerment
Dr. Eylla Laire Gutierrez, OIC-Executive Director of AIM-ALT CFT, noted that women have limited access to higher-value areas like asset ownership, brand control, intellectual property, and investment. Department of Tourism official Roberto Alabado III added that gender disparities grow at higher management levels.
“From the foundation, we have a lot of women, but as we go up the ladder, the participation of women is diminishing,” Alabado said.
Progress on the ground, but work remains
Industry leaders see gradual improvement. Cleofe Albiso, managing director of Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, said women make up 40 percent of the workforce and more than half of executive leadership, though engineering remains male-dominated. Deliberate efforts in leadership development and community-focused initiatives are helping close the gap.
Empowering women as an economic strategy
John Louie Sabal, assistant professor at Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan, said empowering women boosts inclusive growth and social returns. Creative practitioners also play a role: Melanie Reyes-Tuquet, founder of the Talavera ARTists Guild, emphasized how women can lead initiatives that strengthen cultural identity and community pride.
Closing the gap
Experts agree that closing gender gaps in access, ownership, and leadership is key for both economic and cultural development. Recommendations include expanding women’s access to financing, skills training, and digital tools, as well as increasing representation in decision-making.
“Women are not just peripheral actors, but they are actually foundational,” one speaker said, calling for policies that recognize women as leaders and decision-makers.
