A women's group has urged the national government to ensure enough jobs and coronavirus disease (COVID-19) jabs for women to help stimulate the economy.

This after the Philippine Stocks Exchange reported that while foreign investments have been steadily low at 21 percent, the online accounts have comprised 67 percent of the total stock market accounts, including the investments in the equities market of Filipino housewives and millennials.
"Given the opportunities, women can really help in rising up the economy since we own half of the sky. As it is, the Duterte government is again diverting the issue of the economic and health crisis in promoting a standard adobo recipe," Gabriela secretary general Joms Salvador said in a statement.
For Gabriela, standardizing a recipe should be "the least of the government's concerns."
"Duterte does not need to look far for standardization of recipe, his pandemic response is a standard recipe for disaster. Duterte's failed pandemic response has resulted to worsening inequalities and hardships for Filipinos," Salvador added.
Citing data from IBON Foundation, Salvador noted that 6 out of 10 Filipinos or 4.2 million individuals have experienced hunger in 2020.
Meanwhile, based on a Center for Women's Resources report, female unemployment rate has increased to 15.6 percent at the start of the pandemic and lockdown.
"It is unacceptable for this administration to have P18.4 billion unspent money in Bayanihan 2 while millions of our kababayans (countrymen) are left to suffer. Distracting us with adobo standardization will not replace solid pro-people economic solution," Salvador stressed.
Citing data from the Department of Budget and Management, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said there was a balance of P18.4 billion under the Bayanihan 2. The law expired on June 30.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has created a technical committee on Filipino dishes that will develop Philippine National Standards when it comes to cooking popular Filipinos dishes such as adobo, sinigang, and sisig.