Title: Harnessing Tourism for Women's Socio-Economic Empowerment in Barrio Barretto Olongapo City
Authors: Mychale Williams
Volume: 9
Issue: 6
Pages: 262-275
Publication Date: 2025/06/28
Abstract:
This study explores the role of tourism in enhancing the socio-economic empowerment of women in Barrio Barretto, a well-known tourism hub in Olongapo City, Philippines. Anchored in the Input-Process-Output (IPO) model, the research employed a descriptive design and collected data through structured questionnaires and unstructured interviews. 150 women working in tourism-related establishments-such as hotels, restaurants, wellness centers, and local shops-participated in the study. Empowerment was measured in three key dimensions: personal development, family role, and job role. Findings indicate that most female respondents were 23 years and older, married and worked in ordinary or contractual tourist -related jobs. The study revealed a high level of authority in the study, with the highest average score in the family, with the highest average score of personal growth and job roles. Significant differences in alleged empowerment emerged when the respondents were grouped according to age, marriage status, education, number of children and domestic sizes. Conversely, no significant differences were found when the employment status, spouse was grouped after employment or monthly income in most dimensions. This research is highlights tourism as a viable opportunity to promote a women's agency, especially through job opportunities, revenue creation and increase in decisions in both home and workplace. Based on the results, the study recommends the development of local action plans that focus on capacity creation, health and welfare support, legal rights education, community -based women's groups and inclusive policy structure. These strategies are important for institutionalizing gender -sensitive tourism development and promoting permanent authority among women in equally socio -economic context