Energy Crisis Threatens SDG Gains: PCW Urges Action on Women’s “Time and Energy Poverty”

Energy Crisis Threatens SDG Gains:
PCW Urges Action on Women's "Time and Energy Poverty"

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) advises government agencies and policy makers that the current national energy emergency is exacerbating "energy poverty" and "time poverty," disproportionately affecting the country's marginalized women and girls.

According to PCW Advisory No. 2026-001, surging oil prices and power disruptions are significantly increasing the time and physical labor women spend on unpaid care and domestic work, widening the gender gap in labor and reducing time for productive work. Economic strains frequently force women to absorb shocks through resource management, sometimes compelling them to reduce their own food intake to ensure their families are fed.

The PCW stresses that sustaining Gender and Development (GAD) interventions is essential to advancing the country's commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), as well as cross-cutting indicators for poverty, health, decent work, and affordable energy. Government agencies are strongly encouraged to prioritize community-based support services-such as childcare support and community kitchens-to mitigate domestic workloads and reduce the time poverty of women during the crisis.