ABSTRACT
Since the opening of the first maritime school in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period, women had been barred from enrolling in maritime courses. This reinforced the construction of the patriarchal belief that seafaring is a man’s turf. However, with the opening up of military schools to women and the growing acceptance of gender equality, women were slowly allowed to enroll in maritime schools in the 1990s . A number of these women have managed to break the glass ceiling and became captains, chief engineers and junior officers. More than two decades after the opening up of maritime schools, women continue to account for a minority of the total number of enrollees. Although their number has been increasing slightly in the past few years, “midship” women or women cadets account for less than five percent of the total number of students in maritime schools. Based on key informant interviews and focus group discussions, this research found that the prevalence of patriarchal values in maritime schools and in the seafaring industry have deterred women from entering these male-dominated schools. Problems on sexual harassment and discrimination were also raised by female cadets. Gender equality and empowerment of women and girls is included in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Maritime schools must be “engendered” in order to encourage more women and young girls to enroll. This research seeks to propose recommendations on how maritime schools can be “engendered” and encourage more women to eventually benefit from the boom in the seafaring industry.