1. Michelle G. The Philippines & Me

2. About Me… I was the last baby born on the last day of the year in 1981, in Bismarck, ND. I was born with a cleft lip and had my first surgery to repair it when I was only a few months old. I will be attending my 10-year high school reunion this summer. I’m still having a hard time coming to terms with this fact… I chose the Philippines as my country because of my sister-in-law, who was born and raised there.

3. More About Me… I have an 8-year old son named Kaden. I’m a Junior who originally started out at NDSU for Interior Design. Now, I’m majoring in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences with an emphasis in Pre-audiology. In 5 more years I will be Dr. Glaser! I once witnessed a hotel robbery in CA, as well as a gas station robbery here in Moorhead.

4. Even More About Me… I work full-time here at MSUM in the Continuing Studies office. I used to work at Biolife Plasma Services as well as Pier 1. My favorite food is pickles and I love to drink the juice too! I’m an avid fingernail biter which I absolutely hate but can’t seem to stop doing.

5. The Philippines The Philippine islands are made up of over 7,000 islands lying about 500 mi off the southeast coast of Asia. The overall land area is comparable to that of Arizona. Population: 92 million The official languages are Filipino and English. The Philippines achieved full independence on July 4, 1946. http://www.brettdavenport.com/blogs/PhilippinesBlogs.htm

6. Women in the Philippines President Aquino (pictured to the right) often is given as an example of what women can accomplish in Philippine society. Women have always enjoyed greater equality in Philippine society than was common in other parts of Southeast Asia Education and literacy levels in 1990 were higher for women than for men. The appearance of women in important positions is not new or even unusual in the Philippines. Filipino women (Filipinas), have been senators, cabinet officers, Supreme Court justices, administrators, and heads of major business enterprises. http://www.op.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=13&Itemid=41

7. Although women were eligible for high positions, these were more often obtained by men. In 1990, 64% of graduate students were women but they held only 159 of 982 career top executive positions. Because men relegate household tasks to women, employed women carry a double burden. This burden was somewhat relieved by the availability of relatives and servants as helpers, but the use of servants and relatives is now seen as being the equivalent of exploiting some women to free others. Philippine women play a decisive role in Filipino families. They handle the money, act as religious mentors, and could also arrange the marriages of sons and daughters. Women in the Philippines

8. Filipino men have established a tradition of subordinating women, which has resulted in Filipino women's submissive attitudes towards sex. In marriage, rural women do not present their feelings to their husbands, particularly regarding love and sex. This is because traditionally the husband owns his wife and makes the decisions regarding her body. She can neither ask for nor deny her husband’s wishes. Because of this cultural mindset, women in Philippine rural areas experience higher rates of domestic abuse than those from urban areas. Women in the Philippines

9. Culturally, divorce is viewed as negative and destructive in the Philippines due to the fact that traditionally, the family is the core social unit, especially for the Filipino wife. Divorce is not perceived as a solution to any matrimonial-related problem, therefore, husband and wife are obligated to fix problems within the boundaries of marriage. On August 14, 2009, an Act providing for the Magna Carta of Women of the Philippines was formally signed into law by President Gloria Arroyo. The Magna Carta is a comprehensive women’s human-rights legislation that seeks to eliminate discrimination against women and outlines the duties of the state in recognizing, protecting, fulfilling and promoting the rights of women. Women in the Philippines

10. http://www.brettdavenport.com/blogs/PhilippinesBlogs.htm http://www.divers.proline.lv/left22.html http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107887.html?pageno=2 http://www.op.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=13&Itemid=41 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_the_Philippines http://www.undp.org.ph/?link=news&news_id=267&fa=2 Sources