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.
