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Working moms in Southeast Asia prefer flexible work arrangements — report

MANILA, Philippines – Naihalal sina Philippine Aquatics Inc. (PAI) president Miko Vargas at secretary general at Batangas 1st District Rep. Eric Buhain sa mah ahalagang posisyon sa isinagawang Asian Aquatics Convention sa Bangkok, Thailand.

Iniluklok si Vargas sa five-man Ethics Committee, habang isinama si Buhain, ang Philippine swimming icon, sa 15-man Board of Directors.

“During the Asian Aquatics Convention, muling pinuri ang naging hosting natin sa Asian age group championship last February sa Clark and the election of PAI president (Miko) Vargas and Cong. Buhain sa central board only shows the esteem recognition ng international community sa atin,” ani PAI Executive Director Chito Rivera sa Tabloids Organization in Philippine Sports Inc. (TOPS) ‘Usapang Sports’ kahapon sa PSC Conference Room sa Rizal Memorial Sports Complex (RSMC).

Nagpadala rin ng mensahe ang iba pang international swimming body tulad ng Singapore at New Zealand para sa isang kolaborasyon sa training ng mga aquatics athletes, gayundin ang mapataas ang kaalaman ng mga local coaches.

Nakalinya rin sa PAI ang paglahok sa tatlong international tournaments ngayong taon bukod sa Olympic qualifying para kina elite swimmers Chloe Isleta, Jasmine Alkhaldi at Kyla Sanchez.

Samantala, itinakda ng PAI sa Agosto ang national tryouts para sa koponan na isasabak sa SEA age group championship sa Disyembre sa Bangkok kung saan hinikayat ang mga foreign-based swimmers na maglaan ng panahon na magbalik sa bansa para makiisa sa tryouts.

“Open po at para sa lahat ang tryouts kaya hindi na puwedeng mag-submit ka lang ng time record mo ok na. Kailangang maipakita mo ang kahusayan mo kaya dapat nandito rin sila,” wika ni Rivera sa programang itinataguyod ng Philippine Sports Commission, Behrouz Persian Cuisine at Pocari Sweat. 

Kasama ni Rivera sa TOPS sina young swimmers Nicola Queen Diamante ng RSS Dolphins Club at Patricia Mae Santor ng Ilustre East Swimming Club.

Kabilang sila sa m ga lalangoy sa Palarong Pambansa sa Hulyo para sa National Capital Region.

“First time ko po sa Palaro kaya po masaya ako at excited. Pagbubutihin ko pa po ang training para maka-medalya ako,” wika ng Grade 8 student ng Augustinian Abbey sa Las Piñas na si Diamante.

Target naman ni Santo r, miyembro ng PH team sa Asian age group, na malagpasan ang nakuhang isang gold, isang silver at dalawang bronze medals sa nakaraang Palarong Pambansa sa Marikina City.

“Sakripisyo po talaga sa training at sa pag-aaral. Hopefully, po mas mapalakas ko iyong mga personal best ko,” sabi ng University of Santo Tomas standout.

MANILA, Philippines — A Singapore-based think tank said that working mothers in Southeast Asia (SEA) prefer “remote and flexible arrangements” to enhance their chances of achieving work-life balance. 

Milieu Insight conducted a survey that offers a comprehensive understanding of Southeast Asian women at work, highlighting key insights and their behaviors.

“While women have contributed to Southeast Asia’s growth, their share of managerial positions remains below parity. Our study highlights the pressing challenges by working Southeast Asian women today, including the delicate balance between work and family commitments, self-care amidst hectic schedules, and the burden of guilt when prioritising professional responsibilities,” Juda Kanaprach, co-Founder and CCO of Milieu Insight, said.

“However, amidst these obstacles, it’s heartening to know that working mothers in Asia employ various strategies to navigate the complexities of their personal and professional lives. As we celebrate the pivotal role of mothers in our society this Mother’s Day, let us acknowledge and address their strength and sacrifices,” she added.

According to the survey, 68% of working mothers in the SEA prefer flexible working arrangements as 65% of them shoulder “significant household responsibilities”.

“Milieu Insight research suggests that with inclusivity, flexibility, and support, workplaces can create a nurturing environment where women could excel in their professional roles while fulfilling their duties as mothers,” the report read. 

Among all the countries in SEA, working mothers from Singapore and the Philippines have the largest percentage who preferred the flexible set-up.

“68% of working mothers in Southeast Asia believe remote work and flexible arrangements would enhance work-life balance and career growth, with the majority in Singapore (75%) and the Philippines (77%) sharing this sentiment,” the report read. 

The report also said that working mothers find it tough to balance both work and family commitments due to their work setup.

Some, however, said that they can still manage balancing work and their duties as mothers.

“55% of working mothers in Southeast Asia currently adopt innovative time management techniques to navigate the intricacies of work-life integration,” the study read. 

The think tank’s polled 3,000 working mothers across SEA covering Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines and Thailand from April 2 to 12 this year.

— Ian Laqui

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