The roles of husbands and wives in household decision-making

Abstract

Some consider the Filipino family as patriarchal and authoritarian since the father is usually looked up to as the authority in the home. The father’s being “the principal breadwinner and nominal head of the family” is a lesson learned at home and reinforced in school where the young are further taught about family life. Although mothers also exercise authority at home and participate in decision-making, it is commonly believed that the father’s decision has a “greater weight” and that the father has the “final say” in the family.

Research findings, however, suggest that Filipino families may be more egalitarian and less patriarchal. Although fathers continue to be identified as the “breadwinners” or the “household heads” of families, the significant roles of mothers in family survival and decision-making are well-documented. Studies in the 1960s and the early 1970s show that joint husband-wife decision-making patterns are the common norm in Filipino homes (Guerrero 1965; Porio, et al. 1975; Castillo 1976). This conjugal mode of decision-making has been consistently supported by even more recent studies conducted in the last decade (Alcid 1986; David 1993).