This, said Labor Secretary Arturo Brion, citing an international survey of several countries, made the Philippines "globally remarkable."

Citing data from the DoLE's Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES), Brion said that in 2002, the ratio was 1.86 million women to 1.4 million men holding supervisory and executive positions.

By 2004, the ratio was 2.162 million female supervisors to 1.613 million males.

In 2006, there were 2.257 million female managers to 1.629 million males.

Citing Grant Thornton International Business Report, Brion said 97 percent of businesses in the Philippines have women in senior management positions, the highest among 32 countries surveyed and also significantly higher than the global average of 59 percent.

This survey, released early this year, also showed a 13-percent increase in the number of Philippine businesses with women managers from the 2004 figures.

Following the Philippines in the rankings were China, with 91 percent; Malaysia, 85 percent; Brazil, 83 percent; Hong Kong, 83 percent; Thailand, 81 percent; Taiwan, 80 percent; South Africa, 77 percent; Botswana, 74 percent and Russia, 73 percent.

At the bottom of the list was Japan, where only 25 percent of businesses had women in top positions. Also ranked low were The Netherlands, 27 percent; Luxembourg, 37 percent; Germany, 41 percent; and Italy, 42 percent.

Brion attributed the rise in the number of women supervisors and managers to education. He said that the same BLES data showed that one out of three employed women, or 32.8 percent of the total 12.8 million in 2006, had reached college.

In contrast, only one out of five men, or 22.5 percent of the total 20.156 million employed, had reached college.

More employed women -- one out of five -- had also completed college last year, compared to one out of 10 men.

The higher educational attainment gave women better changes of bagging higher and better paying positions, Brion said.

In 2006, women also dominated men in various occupations: professionals (7.7 percent versus 2.2 percent), technicians and associate professional (3.6 percent versus 2.2 percent), clerks (7.7 percent versus 2.7 percent), service workers and shop and markets sales workers (12.5 percent versus 7.6 percent), and laborers and unskilled workers (36.1 percent versus 28.8 percent).