Wanted: Umbrella Girls

Report 23: Wanted: Umbrella Girls

Various studies and research have explored the nature, importance and the overall perspectives of the informal sector in the Philippines. But still, there is a need-to-know other fields of work classified under such sector, like odd jobs. Odd jobs are special kinds of jobs, where the umbrella girls are categorized. Because of this, the researchers purposively conducted a study on the umbrella girls.

This non-experimental, descriptive study basically brings about the working conditions of the umbrella girls at Villamar Golf Course including the related gender concerns and the implications of their work on their personal and social lives.

The data were obtained from four methodologies namely, the participant-observation, key informant interviews, documents review and case study. This research used the purposive type of sampling, thus, utilized the One-shot Several Cases Study for its research design.

It was found out that the umbrella girls are mostly migrates who, in search for greener pasture went to Manila just to realize that they cannot compete with the standards of urban employment. Moreover, the promising offer of the umbrella girls’ jobs then convinced them to try this new form of livelihood. Thus, engaging in this job had exposed these women into gender related issues and concerns.