|
The
Situation of Filipino Children
It is often said that the kind of society one lives in is mirrored
in the lives of its children. Picture the following:
 |
There
are 32,894,317 children (below 18 years of age) in the Philippines. They
constitute nearly 45 per cent (44.98 per cent) of the total Philippine
1998 population of 73,130,985 (based on the medium growth projection of
the NSO, 1995).
|
|
Their
age range distribution, proportions and absolute numbers are as follows:
(based on the age range proportions of the 1995 NSO Census).
|
|
Age Range
|
Age Proportions
|
Absolute Numbers
|
|
|
0-4 years
|
13.85%
|
10,128,641
|
|
5-9 years
|
12.75%
|
9,324,202
|
|
10-14 years
|
11.64%
|
8,512,446
|
|
15-17 years
|
6.74%
|
4,929,028
|
|
|
|
|
|
0-17 years
|
44.98%
|
32,894,317
|
|
|
Infant
mortality rate is pegged at 42.73 per 1,000 live births (Department of
Health, 1 September 1999).
|
|
28%
of children under age 5 are severely and moderately underweight based on
international standards (World Summit Goals for Children , 1998).
|
|
49%
of the total population of infants and 26% of the total population of
children with ages ranging from 1 - 6 years old suffer from
iron-deficiency anemia
|
|
There
is one (1) hospital for every 113,040 people. There is only 1 doctor for
every 24, 417 people; 1 nurse for every 22,309; 1 dentist for every
578,124; and, 1 midwife for every 722,654 people (Philippine Yearbook of
Statistics).
|
|
More
than half of the over 42,000 barangays in the country do not have
provisions for a pre-school. Only 19% of children aged 4 to 6 years old
are able to go to public and private pre-schools.
|
|
More
than 1/3 of the more than 42,000 barangays in the country could not offer
the required six years of elementary education.
|
|
Sixty
percent of the children drop out of school when they reach the second
grade (PDI, 18 May 1997).
|
|
Sixty-one towns in the country do not have a
high school.
|
|
It
is estimated that there are about five million child laborers in the
country (UNICEF 1995). Two-thirds of them are found in the rural areas.
|
|
There
are 1.5 million
streetchildren. DSWD estimates that this number increases
annually by 6,365.
|
|
Of
the 1.5 million
streetchildren, 60,000 are prostituted
(ECPAT 1996). The
DSWD claims that the annual average increase of prostituted children is
3,266. The Philippines is the fourth country with the most number of
prostituted children (Intersect, December 1995).
|
|
Research
studies conducted in schools show that for every 3 Filipino children, one
child experiences abuse (Manila Bulletin, 11 February 1996). During the
first semester of 1999 alone, there were 2,393 children who fell prey to
rape, attempted rape, incest, acts of lasciviousness and prostitution
(DSWD
1st semester, CY 1999).
|
The statistics are growing
each day. These clearly depict the immense hardship which Filipino children are
subjected to. Unfortunately, the family that is supposedly the primary source of
the children's sense of trust and security is itself beleaguered. In most
instances, it can no longer adequately provide even the children's most basic
needs like food, education, housing, and an atmosphere of love, affection and
nurturance. Its capacity to protect the children and enhance their development
and participation rights is likewise affected.
|
