Getting Old and Time Allocation among Filipino Women

Delia B. Carba, University of San Carlos
Judith B. Borja, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Isabelita Bas, University of San Carlos
Linda Adair, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Throughout life course, women cope with changing circumstances by making adjustments in time allocation. This study describes patterns in time allocation in Filipino women from 1994 to 2005. We used data on 2,006 mothers from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey, a community-based study in Cebu, Philippines. Time use categories were based on reported 24-hr typical weekday activities. Multivariate tobit models showed that number of househelp and adults in household decrease time on food preparation and housekeeping while presence of spouse and children <7 had opposite effect. Women’s age was negatively associated with time on caregiving, working away from home, and sleeping, and positively associated with leisure time. Cluster analysis revealed 4 groups of women based on time use: working at home, working away, predominantly doing housework, and some housework with high leisure time. Findings from this study provide insights in understanding how women manage time as they age.