NEWS
2024.12.16
SSS #5: Japan-ASEAN Philippines Research Report
Seijo University’s International Research Center for Sports and Gender Equality (SGE) operates the YouTube channel "Sport for Social Solutions (SSS)." This channel highlights sports as a platform for addressing social issues, featuring a wide range of guests including experts, government officials, and athletes to share information and exchange ideas.
Seijo University’s International Research Center for Sports and Gender Equality YouTube Channel:
The theme of SSS Episode 5 is "Japan-ASEAN Philippines Research Report."
The Philippines, a country that gained independence after enduring the colonial eras of Spain and the United States, is now made up of more than 7,100 islands. What are the country's views on gender and the current state of women's sports, in a nation where approximately 80% of the population are Catholics?
As part of a re-commissioned project by the Japan Sports Agency, SGE is advancing "ASEAN-JAPAN Actions on Sport: Gender Equality." In this project, the government of Japan and the 10 ASEAN countries are collaborating to promote gender equality through sports. A major component of this initiative, which began in 2023, is conducting research to identify the challenges and needs related to the participation of women and girls in sports in Japan and ASEAN countries.
In this edition of SSS, SGE postdoctoral researchers Yu Furuta and Yushi Miyazawa report on the research conducted in the Philippines in January 2024, following the research in Indonesia and Vietnam.
"Sports are not associated with women"
Yu, who conducted the research on-site, pointed out that while there have been some changes among younger generations due to the spread of social media, traditional values in Philippine society still strongly persist, with the belief that "women should support men." In this context, there is a strong tendency for female students to prioritize academics over sports, as societal values emphasize that women should focus on household duties and childcare. Furthermore, from an economic perspective, the difficulty for women to make a living through sports further underscores the tendency for them to concentrate on their studies.
Yu also mentioned that religious influences contribute to these views. "The Philippines is 80% Catholic, and various studies and research suggest that Catholicism has a deeply ingrained male-dominant mentality. I felt that this influence was reflected in the interviews I conducted."
The sports world built from a male-centered perspective
In the Philippine sports world, a significant portion of decision-makers are men, which leads to systems and environments being designed from a male perspective. In such an environment where women's voices are not often reflected, it becomes difficult for women to build careers in sports.
Furthermore, Yu also discussed the factors that hinder women's participation and continuation in sports, from the interviews. Major challenges include the difficulty for female athletes to return to sports after pregnancy and childbirth, the limited options for second careers, the lack of sports facilities for women and girls, the scarcity of female coaches, and the absence of professional leagues or teams for women's sports.
45 minutes per week: Challenges in physical education at schools
Next, the discussion turned to the current state of physical education in Philippine schools. In the Philippines, only 45 minutes per week are allocated for physical education classes, and there is a lack of a well-established training system for physical education teachers. As a result, the content of the classes often consists of boys “being made to” play basketball and girls “being made to” engage in physical play, which falls far short of fostering a “genuine connection to physical activity.” This situation was shared in detail, highlighting the need for improvements in the quality of physical education.
Achieving gender equality through sports
Yushi highlighted the significant awareness of gender equality among the survey participants as a key point of focus in this study. In the Philippines, there is an organization within the Sport Commission (similar to Japan's Sports Agency) dedicated to promoting women's sports. It became clear that among the ASEAN countries, the Philippines has a particularly strong awareness of the need to improve the sports environment for women.
Yu shared that the words of the head of the department promoting women's sports left a lasting impression on her. "They mentioned that women's participation in sports is not just about being able to participate, but that it becomes an important means to demonstrate that women have the same abilities as men and the spirit to challenge themselves, especially when their activities are made visible and accessible to everyone. They also spoke about how sports can serve as a platform to enhance the status of women in both the family and the community, and foster greater respect for women. It was impressive to hear how they emphasized the broader value of sports, not just in terms of athletic performance, but in various other meaningful ways."
Additionally, during the research, interviews were conducted with local organizations providing youth development programs through sports and programs that support recovery from trauma such as violence and sexual abuse, thanks to the introduction by the Philippine Sports Commission.
Yu reflected on the research saying, "During the discussions, I could really see the various values of sports in many ways, and I was once again reminded of the educational value sports can offer."
The research conducted in 2023 in Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines have become an important step in building the foundation for further research in the ASEAN region. Yushi stated, "We still have more research to conduct, but I want to ensure that the research from the countries we participated in this time serves as a solid foundation, so we can carry out even better research next time," expressing his eagerness for future research activities.
Watch the full video of this report here:
