What, Like It’s Hard? The Case for Filipino Women in STEM
Gender stereotypes in science may persist, but a closer look reveals that our women in STEM are more than capable of facing the challenge head-on.
Only one in three researchers globally is a woman, according to UNESCO. The idea that science and technology fields are male-dominated has remained a persistent truth for years. Gender stereotypes continue to exist and, in our country, the Philippine Statistics Authority reports that women often find themselves in service and retail more so than the technical sectors.
Yet as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) celebrated the International Day of Women and Girls in Science last February 11, they revealed a positive statistic: women now account for 55% of researchers in the Philippines.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, could the reality today truly be as bright as this broad number suggests? What is it actually like to be a Filipino woman in STEM? Is our society finally steadily making progress towards inclusivity and equality in the field? The evidence shows it may not be as bleak as it seems.
Under the regional microscope
“Hardworking, dedicated, resourceful, resilient, and nurturing” is how Dr. Pierangeli Vital describes her fellow women in STEM.
Vital is the head of the Biological Research and Services Laboratory at the Natural Sciences Research Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman. Tackling real-life problems and collaborating with others is the most meaningful part of her work. Together with her team, she investigates bacteria found in farms, markets, and agricultural products to improve food safety. Her work on the potential biofuel applications of the microalga Chlorella vulgaris led her to receive a Special Citation at the NAST Environmental Science Awards last year.
With 15 years as a scientist under her belt, she considers her stint as a Science and Technology Fellow for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to be a career highlight.
“It opened opportunities to meet scientists in the ASEAN region and to be able to translate my research to science-based policies,” Vital said. The fellowship was launched in 2018 as part of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation 2016-2025, with Vital among the pioneer batch of fellows.
Southeast Asia has better gender representation in science than most regions. In a policy brief, ASEAN reported that the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, and Vietnam all have nearly equal percentages of male and female scientists, while Myanmar is one of the few countries where female scientists are the majority. Most female scientists in ASEAN are, similar to Vital, concentrated in health and biological research.
Among the ASEAN countries, the Filipino woman leads in invention. In 2021, female inventors accounted for 37.7% of the Philippine patents filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization—more than double that of the global average.
However, true equality in the sciences is still evasive.
Many Filipino women scientists earn less than men in similar positions, find it difficult to be chosen for leadership positions, and are underrepresented in stereotypically male fields such as engineering and technology. The same trend is observed in most of Southeast Asia and the rest of the world.
Vital noted that another unique hurdle that women in STEM face is the increased pressure to balance their careers with having and caring for children. Though the Philippines has strong labor laws that include benefits for working mothers, enforcement is a different story. In 2023, the United Nations Children’s Fund and International Labor Organization called for more employers to fulfill their obligations to the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act.
Beyond her microbiology research, Vital is also an advocate for better working conditions for scientists. She regularly gives talks on the DOST Scientific Career System, a program that supports career progression for government-funded scientists. She also published policy recommendations for improving employment benefits and research pipelines to address the problems faced by researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As women, we have the capability to understand and continue striving amid challenges and difficulties in our fields,” she remarked.
Vital’s advice to young girls who are interested in being a scientist is straightforward. Be passionate about what you do, always ask the why’s and how’s, accept your mistakes, and find a good mentor.
Through the societal telescope
Abigail Napeñas admits that, in another life, she would’ve liked to be a food historian. But in this universe, she derives a lot of joy from being in science communication.
In her eyes, telling stories for something she loves is a great privilege. “It’s really about being able to interact with people and see their eyes light up with understanding when I do experiments or share cool science content with them,” she said.
Performing science experiments for eager audiences of all ages is Napeñas’ daily job. She uses these experiments to showcase a variety of different scientific principles, from static electricity to chemical reactions. When demonstrations aren’t enough to explain certain ideas, such as Darwinian evolution, she creates physical games that serve to both entertain and educate. Occasionally, she lectures in planetariums and stargazing camps, describing how the stars move around the earth.
Teaching is in Napeñas’ blood. Her grandmother was a science teacher, and it is to her grandmother’s encyclopedias and gardens that Napeñas gives credit for developing her childhood curiosity in the natural world.
Professional inspiration, meanwhile, is drawn from other emerging voices in science communication. Among them is environmentalist Celine Murillo, who features a kaleidoscope of species native to the Philippines. Meanwhile, biology professor Trinket Constantino shines a spotlight on the overlooked biodiversity of urban cities. Napeñas refers to them and other Filipino women in STEM as “absolute rockstars” whose grace and grit fuels her own drive to grow as a storyteller.
Having role models to look up to is a significant motivator for anyone, and the lack of visible role models is why young girls often feel discouraged from pursuing science.
In a United Nations Development Program study on women in STEM in Asia-Pacific, gender diversity is difficult to see from a student perspective. Teachers encourage boys for math and science competitions, while parents and guidance counselors recommend more traditionally feminine occupations for girls. Though perpetuating this gender bias may be unintentional, it still results in girls having low confidence in their capability for STEM, which further demotivates them from considering it as a career.
This is regardless of actual skill level. Philippine data from PISA 2022 shows that girls tested higher than boys in mathematics and reading, and that there were fewer low performers among the girls.
Efforts to promote STEM careers to female students have increased through the years. This includes government campaigns such as the Department of Energy’s Girls and Science, Girls in Science – You Have The Power!, scholarships supported by foundations such as the Her Legacy Project, and dedicated career caravans to show girls that being a woman in STEM is achievable.
Napeñas feels incredibly lucky to have had mentors who strengthened her resolve to seize all available opportunities, and to now be working in a space where she is treated equally. Meaningful discussions with her colleagues have further deepened her curiosity in all sorts of disciplines.
“My love for the sciences and science communication has remained strong and steady because of the people that gave me space to be passionate about these fields,” Napeñas said, adding that she hopes young girls can see the beauty of science for themselves.
“I would not be here were it not for the communities that have given me hope and have shown me how amazing the world truly is. Communities in STEM are so vital. They will be the ones to guide you, learn with you, and walk with you as you navigate a challenging path..”
