Gender and Effective Leadership: A Comparative Study of Male and Female Barangay Captains in Ten Quezon City Barangays

Abstract

Through the ages, women were discriminated and looked down upon. Their rights and privileges were curtailed in a male-dominated culture. Their cultural and societal roles dictated their subsequent actions and thoughts to the extent that they occupy a lower social class than males. This study looks at the political decision-making processes in the Philippines in the hopes of determining the possible inclusion of women in charting the future development of the nation. The study seeks to ascertain the effectiveness of gender based leadership styles employed by male and female barangay captains in the dispensation, arbitration and settlement of cases within their jurisdiction. The study utilizes a questionnaire that measures the attitude and perceptions of constituents fi'om 10 barangays in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. These are attitudes and perceptions regarding the effectiveness of gender-based leadership styles among male and female barangay captains in the respective barangays. The study compares these attitudes and perceptions that eventually would lead to the determination of effectiveness. Effectiveness is measured along five domains: in the quality of leadership delivered, through the diligence and zeal of the barangay captains in the resolution of the cases, through the speed of case settlement, in the involvement of the end-users in the resolution of the cases and through the skills and attributes of the barangay captain. The study concludes that the female barangay captains are more effective in their approach to leadership. The results of the study prove that women can take a productive and active role in the political decision-making processes in the Philippines.