Social scientists: Women bore much of the brunt of oil spill

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
The News Today
Dec. 16, 2008

Women bore much of the brunt of the oil spill that ravaged Guimaras Island as some disaster response and rehabilitation programs failed to consider their specific needs, a research of social scientists showed.

In their paper “Gender Perspectives in Disaster Responses and Interventions to MT Solar I Oil Spill,” University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UPV)-based social scientists said that while there were efforts towards gender equality, some of the programs were inappropriate in addressing specific needs especially of women during the disaster.

“Most of these projects have not fully integrated gender equality and women’s empowerment concerns in the different stages of project management, implementation and monitoring…” according to the research conducted by Rosario Asong, Ebonia Seraspe, Diana Aure and Rosario Panganiban. (Click here for the rest.)

Guimaras folk need psych support

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Inquirer Visayas Bureau
November 30, 2008

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Social scientists have recommended continued psychosocial monitoring and support for Guimaras residents affected by the massive oil spill two years ago after a study showed that most of them were still traumatized by the calamity.

The study conducted by former University of the Philippines in the Visayas chancellor Ida Siason, showed a “significant level of psycho-social distress” among 42 percent to 73 percent of around 250 survey respondents from seven highly and moderately affected barangay (villages).

The villages are mostly in Nueva Valencia town, the hardest hit of the province’s five municipalities. (Click PDI for the rest.)