The Maxim Philippine Woman:
The Working Filipina
The Maxim Philippine woman of the 21st century is hands-down the Working Filipina. Caught in a realm of emerging career consciousness, family traditions, and societal challenges, the Working Filipina is undoubtedly a paradigm of strength and resilience.
Let's turn back the time to about a hundred years ago - sometime during the turn of the century.
Back then, Filipinos were not as much reeling from the ravages of the Spanish-American War as enjoying a hopeful life of newfound freedom.
Filipinas, young and old alike, were content with their role of homemaker and custodian of family traditions.
The typical Filipina of yore was raised in loving protection by the men of the house, who were responsible for providing the family's needs.
The women, in turn, kept house, cooked the meals, looked after the young ones, and perhaps enjoyed an hour or two of mahjongg in the evenings.
Today, not much has changed in the homefront, as Filipina women are still expected to tend to household matters.
The only difference is that the Filipina has become an important part of the workforce, and is well on her way to breaking the glass ceiling.
The Working Filipina has struggled hard the past few decades to venture in an arena that may have been unknown to her own mother or grandmother.
She has kept "in step" with the men, so to speak - confident in her ability to juggle family and career with impressive results.
Today's Filipina has chosen to work for any of various reasons - financial necessity, personal fulfillment, or a strong desire to make a contribution to the society of which she is a part.
Whatever her reason, she is touted as the 'Maxim Philippine Woman' because of her dedication and unwavering commitment, notwithstanding the multiple other responsibilities she needs to fulfill - by choice, or otherwise.
The following is a common routine for the Working Filipina: She gets up at around 4:00 a.m. to fix breakfast. She then preps the kids for school and prepares her husband's office wear.
After doing a final check on the market list, she sends the househelp off, and if not, does the chore herself. In a few minutes, she has to get herself ready for work.
After work, she goes back at home and tends the kids, cooks the dinner, and prepare her kids for the following school day. The Filipino mother is the totality of the maxim Philippine woman.
Multitasking is a given for the Working Filipina. In between seminars, meetings, presentations, or sales calls, she makes it a point to check on the family members, attend PTA meetings, watch the kids' performances, or shop for their needs.
It's even likely that she is tasked to fetch the kids from school and help them with their homework before fixing dinner at night.
Before the day ends, she again has to prepare everyone's stuff for the next day before tucking the little one to sleep with a bedtime story.
Nevertheless, the Working Filipina makes her presence felt at the workplace and endeavors to be at par with or better than her peers.
With her professionalism, she knows well enough to keep any domestic problem in check before it affects her career.
For the "maximum dedication" she offers her family and the "maximum effort" she exerts at work, the Maxim Philippine Woman is, indeed, the Working Filipina.
You need not look far to find her. She may be right there in your home - your mother, your sister, your wife, your aunt - or you may spot that Maxim Philippine woman across the street, clutching her purse, smoothing her skirt, anxiously waiting for a jeepney ride.
She is the totality of everything great in a woman.
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