INANG MANGGAGAWA: Ang Kasalukuyang Kababaihan A Descriptive Study on the Quality of Life of Sidewalk Vendor Mothers in the Case of the City of Manila

Abstract

This research is about the quality of life of women sidewalk vendors who are also mothers. It explores their lives as seen in their physical health, psychological well-being, their social relationships and the correlation of these with the environment they are in. It looks at the specific experiences of women who are also mothers to understand the particularities of their lives in the sidewalk. This research will utilize the quality of life questionnaire formulated by the World Health Organization with data interpretation corresponding to the profiles ascribed by the WHO-BREF questionnaire. Formal and informal interviews, as well as participant observation, will also be utilized to better understand the nuances of these women's everyday lives. This study is significant since it relates to a growing population of the Philippine society: the informal sector, which has been recognized to contribute a considerable percentage to the economy―an important facet of this country. Impoverished people opt to enter the informal sector rather than look for jobs, since this would be more affordable and feasible for them, given that a high percentage of them are not as much qualified as skilled workers than the middle or upper class. This research could contribute to organizations, both affiliated with the government and those that are not, that are interested in addressing the concerns of the women of the informal sector.