Philippines has more women in tech industry, says IBM

Women’s visibility in the technology industry is relatively high in the Philippines, making the country stand out in terms of diversity and inclusion, according to the country head of IBM. Aileen Judan-Jiao, IBM Philippines’ first homegrown Filipino female president and country general manager, said the Philippines has many women in management positions compared to other countries where IBM operates. Jiao emphasized the importance of diversity and inclusion in IBM’s policies as well as its culture of transparency and openness, saying such policies are a business priority for the company. She said IBM strives to nurture potential leaders, especially women, and urge them to move ahead. A 2015 study by the International Labor Organization showed that the Philippines has the highest number of female managers among Asian nations. However, more has to be done when it comes to the inclusion of women in leadership roles, as a 2018 study by the Philippines Institute for Development Studies revealed that gender inequality remains prevalent in the country’s business and government sectors, with fewer women holding top positions.