Rose Anne L.

Quyo

2B-Medical Technology

Overview of the national situation of the Philippines: 1. Economic Status A. Poverty Poverty level still the same despite economic growth Tuesday, April 23, 2013 MANILA (Updated) -- Poverty incidence in the Philippines has remained unchanged despite the 6.6 percent economic growth rate that the country posted last year, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) said on Tuesday. In a press briefing, NSCB Secretary General Jose Ramon Albert said that poverty incidence among population was estimated at 27.9 percent during the first semester of 2012. "Comparing this with the 2006 and 2009 first semester figures estimated at 28.8 percent and 28.6 percent, respectively, poverty remained unchanged as the computed differences are not statistically significant," he said. Poverty incidence is the proportion of people below the poverty line to the total population. The first semester 2012 poverty incidence was extracted from the data of the Family Income Expenditure Survey (FIES) conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) in July last year. Albert said that during the first semester of 2012, a Filipino family of five needed P5,458 to meet basic food needs every month and P7,821 to stay above the poverty threshold (basic food and non-food needs) every month. To eradicate poverty during the first half of last year, he said the government needs P79.7 billion. It should be noted that the budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the conditional cash transfer program, which benefits poorest households, was P39.4 billion for the entirety of 2012, he said. Contrary to previous years wherein official poverty statistics were only released every three years, the NSCB official said that starting this year, the poverty statistics will be available in two series for every year in which the FIES is conducted -once, for the first semester, and secondly, for the entire year. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, in a news briefing in Malacanang, said the government hopes to cut poverty incidence in the remaining years of the Aquino administration. "We've identified priority areas where we can put in resources to be able to generate more jobs and to provide more to those who need it the most," she said. (SDR/Sunnex) Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2013/04/23/poverty-level-still-same-despite-economic-growth279055 Retrieved November 10, 2013 *** Poverty incidence unchanged, as of first semester 2012NSCB (NSCB-PR-201304-NS1-04, Posted 23 April 2013) The National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) releases its latest report today on the state of poverty in the country. The report using data from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) last July 2012 measured poverty incidence or the proportion of people below the poverty line to the total population.

In a press briefing, NSCB Secretary General Jose Ramon G. Albert reports that poverty incidence among population was estimated at 27.9 percent during the first semester of 2012. Comparing this with the 2006 and 2009 first semester figures estimated at 28.8 percent and 28.6 percent, respectively, poverty remained unchanged as the computed differences are not statistically significant. Food and poverty thresholds The report points out that during the first semester of 2012, a Filipino family of five needed PhP 5,458 to meet basic food needs every month and Php 7,821 to stay above the poverty threshold (basic food and non-food needs) every month. These respective amounts represent the food and poverty thresholds, which increased by 11.1 percent from the first semester of 2009 to the first half of 2012, compared to the 26.0 percent-increase between the 1st semesters of 2006 and 2009. The food threshold is the minimum income required by an individual to meet his/her basic food needs and satisfy the nutritional requirements set by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), while remaining economically and socially productive. Put another way, the food threshold helps measure food poverty or subsistence, which may also be described as extreme poverty. Poverty threshold is a similar concept, but incorporates basic non-food needs, such as clothing, housing, transportation, health, and education expenses, among others. Poverty among Filipino families The NSCB also releases statistics on poverty among familiesa crucial social indicator that guides policy makers in their efforts to alleviate poverty. According to the report, the subsistence incidence, which represents the proportion of Filipino families in extreme poverty, was estimated at 10.0 percent during the first semester of 2012. At 10.0 percent in the first semester of 2009 and 10.8 percent in the first half of 2006, the differences among these three figures remain statistically insignificant. In terms of poverty incidence among families, the NSCB estimates a rate of 22.3 percent during the first semester of 2012, and 23.4 percent and 22.9 percent during the same periods in 2006 and 2009, respectively. Estimated cost of eradicating poverty The NSCB also releases other poverty-related statistics, such as the income gap. This measures the amount of income required by the poor in order to get out of poverty, in relation to the poverty threshold itself. This may be used as a hypothetical benchmark for the amount needed to eradicate poverty as a whole, assuming expenses are focused solely on assistance rather than on targeting costs (such as operations and implementation). In other words, using figures for the income gap and the poverty threshold, the NSCB estimates the total cost of poverty eradication (exclusive of targeting costs) is Php 79.7 billion for the first semester of 2012. It should be noted that the budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the CCT was Php 39.4 billion for the entirety of 2012. More frequent release of poverty statistics The release of the latest official poverty statistics is a remarkable milestone for the country. In previous years, official poverty statistics were only released every three years, and usually with a one-year time lag from the year when the FIES data was first collected. However, starting this year, poverty statistics will be available in two series for every year in which the FIES is conductedonce, for the first semester and secondly, for the entire year. In August 2012, Director General Arsenio Balisacan of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) suggested to the NSCB and the NSO to examine FIES data for the first semester of 2012 and release it as quickly as possible. This is consistent with earlier efforts and discussions of the TC PovStat and the NSCB to respond to the growing need for more frequent and timely poverty statistics.

Albert says that the NSCBalong with partner institutions such as the NSO, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) and the members of the TC PovStat ramped up the estimation and publication schedule to make this possible, while ensuring data quality and accuracy. He hopes that, through this initiative , the Philippine Statistical System, particularly the NSCB, will be able to deliver a clearer, more relevant and more up-to-date snapshot of poverty in the Philippines to help policymakers and stakeholders alike (from both the public and private sectors) craft informed programs and policies based on timely and accurate statistics. Source: http://www.nscb.gov.ph/pressreleases/2013/PR-201304-NS1-04_poverty.asp Retrieved: November 10, 2013 B. Child Labor Child labor in Philippines up by 30 percent over 10 years June 26, 2012 12:30 PM MANILA - Over the past decade, the incidence of child labor in the Philippines increased by almost 30 percent from 4.2 million in 2001 to 5.5 million last year, the 2011 Survey on Children of the National Statistics Office (NSO) indicate, alarming both the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) and the International Labor Organization (ILO). The NSO, which ran a survey on working children last year, also said the number of children engaged in hazardous work increased by 25 percent from 2.4 million in 2001 to 3 million 2011. Hazardous child labor was higher among boys, with 66.8 percent as compared to girls with 33.2 percent. Central Luzon (10.6 percent), Bicol (10.2 percent), Western Visayas (8.5 percent), Northern Mindanao (8.2 percent) and Central Visayas (7.3 percent) were the regions with the highest incidence of hazardous child labor. NSO gave its findings today during the Philippine Celebration of World Day Against Child Labor in Pasig. The survey was made of the 29 million Filipino children, aged 5-17 years old. The same survey revealed that farms are the most common place of work (55.4 percent) of children. Some 12 percent work in their own homes as a part of a family enterprise. Those working in the streets and working at sea similarly account for 9 percent of where working children are found. Root of child labor We have to get to the root of child labor which is linked with poverty and lack of decent and productive work. While we strive to keep children in school and away from child labor, we need to ensure decent and productive work for parents and basic social protection for families, said ILO Country Director for the Philippines Lawrence Jeff Johnson. Hazardous child labor is defined as being likely to harm childrens health, safety or morals by its nature or circumstances. Children may be directly exposed to obvious work hazards such as sharp tools or poisonous chemicals. Other hazards for child laborers may be less apparent, such as the risk of abuse or problems resulting from long hours of work. Hazardous work is considered as one of the worst forms of child labor. Not strictly comparable The ILO and the US Department of Labor also supported the past 1995 and 2001 Survey on Children. In 2001, there were 4 million working children, of which 2.4 were in hazardous child labor while in 1995, there were 3.6 million working children, of which 2.2 were in hazardous child labor. However, previous results were not strictly comparable to the new findings of the NSO. There were revisions and improvements in capturing the overall picture of child labor in the Philippines. The 2011 Survey on Children used terms

under Republic Act 9231 on the worst forms of child labor enacted in 2003 and international statistical standards adopted in 2008. Source: Uy, V., InterAksyon.com. percent-over-10-years http://www.interaksyon.com/article/35801/child-labor-in-philippines-up-by-30*** 5.59 million child laborers in Philippines, says ILO survey There are 5.59 million child laborers toiling in the Philippines and almost all of them are working in hazardous conditions, according to a survey financed by the International Labor Organization (ILO). The 2011 Survey on Children conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) and released Tuesday showed that out of the 29.019 million Filipino children aged 5-17 years old, about 18.9 percent or 5.59 million, were already working. This is higher than the 4 million Filipino working children registered in a 2001 survey conducted by the ILO and the US Department of Labor. Of those 5.59 million children at work, 3.028 million were considered as child laborers and 2.993 million were reported to be exposed to hazardous child labor. Were surprised by this We at the (labor department) reiterate our pledge to do our utmost in making every barangay in the country with high child labor incidence child labor-free, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said at the launching in Pasig City of a new campaign to stamp out child labor in the country. In carrying out this resolve, we will take it one barangay at a time. We will meet the challenge head-on, she added. Baldoz said the government had identified 609 of the countrys poorest municipalities and was targeting 80 barangays (villages) that had the highest incidence of child labor. She also pointed out that the survey showed that 69.5 percent of child laborers, or 2.106 million, were attending school. Under the law, child labor is defined as any work or economic activity performed by a child that subjects him or her to any form of exploitation, or is harmful to his or her health and safety, or physical, mental, or psycho-social development. Poverty, lack of jobs Hazardous child labor refers to employment in industries and occupations designated as hazardous under the countrys occupational safety and health standards. We have to get to the root of child labor which is linked with poverty and lack of decent and productive work, said ILO country director Lawrence Jeff Johnson. While we strive to keep children in school and away from child labor, we need to ensure decent and productive work for parents and basic social protection for families, Johnson added. Carmelita Ericta, NSO administrator, said 60 percent of child laborers in the country were in the agricultural sector. There are two boys for every girl, especially in agriculture. In the services sector, there are more girls than boys. Sixty percent are in agriculture unlike in our Labor Force Survey which shows that only 30 percent (of the countrys labor force) is in agriculture, Ericta said. As they grow older, they also tend to drop out of school. With the younger age group, aged 5 to 9 years old, 90 percent are in school. By the time they reach 15, only half of them are in school, she said. They are working mostly in the farms but some of them work in construction sites. Around 3 percent are actually in the mines, quarries, or factory sites, she added.

Worst forms of labor The regions which had the highest incidence of child labor were Central Luzon, Bicol, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Central Visayas, the survey showed. Ericta said the 2.993 million child laborers exposed to hazardous conditions could include those involved in the worst forms of child laborthe sex trade, drug trafficking, other illicit activities and armed conflict. They could be included but theyre not labeled as such. This is because when you ask them where they work, they could say theyre waitresses when theyre actually prostituted children, Ericta said. These (2.993 million) are the ones exposed to chemicals, biological hazards like bacteria that cause diseases or physical hazards, she added. The Philippines has pledged to reduce by 75 percent all worst forms of child labor by 2015, which is anchored on the United Nations millennium development goal of achieving universal education. Ericta also said that the 2001 and 2011 surveys could not be compared because a different methodology was used in the 2001 survey which involved more general questions. Ericta said the survey was conducted in October 2011 involving 50,000 families across the country. Source: Tubeza, P., The Philippine Daily Inquirer. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/218947/philippines-has-3-m-childlaborers-nso-ilo

2. Political Status A. Philippine Elections: Dirty Politics Philippine elections :: Dirty politics Monday, April 22, 2013 This is why I don't like Philippine politics. Philippine election epitomizes "dirty politics" literally and figuratively. Every time there's an election, there are flyers, stickers, posters, and handouts everywhere. When you're waiting for a bus, someone would give you a handout or flyer. When you're walking on the street, you'll see posters and stickers on the walls of business establishments, local stores, and sometimes even on the cement. And there are people who die during the election period. In Batangas, south of Manila (the capital), a campaign coordinator was on his way home when he was shot by men riding on a motorcycle at noon Sunday. According to the news source, local police have not yet determined if the crime was "politically motivated". (2) I wouldn't be surprised if the incident was politically motivated because I hear news of people dying in every election. People who lost their lives for a mere vote. They would never be given justice because the rich and the powerful always wins. It's been a while since I've read news about the Philippine elections. When I read the news about the person who died, it made me think that nothing has changed. Philippine politics is still dirty. Source: Quitane, L., http://lorashomecoming.blogspot.com/2013/04/philippine-elections-dirty-politics.html ***

Nightmare Before Election: A Glimpse of Election-Related Violence in the Philippines for 2013 The Philippine politics history has always been marred with political violence during election period. As early as the filing of Certificate of Candidacy, violence were already recorded in some parts of the country, such is the case in the Maguindanao Massacre on November 2009 wherein 58 people killed included Mangudadatu's wife, his two sisters, journalists, lawyers, aides, and motorists. Last May 2010 election alone, there are 180 incidents of election-related violence recorded by PNP from January June 2010. The proliferation of these incidents can be attributed, despite the presence of gun ban law in the country, on the availability of illegal fire arms to the powerful political families in the provinces. These illegal firearms are then used as an instrument of these powerful political families to establish mercenaries or private armies to display their power and capabilities to the local people. This is one of the reasons why traditional political families or dynasties are being contested in the Philippine politics. These political families who want to get hold of the majority of the seats in their areas are using harassments and violence against their rivals and their supporters. This leads to the increase on the number of election-related violence every election period and threatens the lives of the voters.

Source: http://www.agora.ph/recent.php?id=928

3. Cultural Status A. Cases of Student/Teenage Suicide Two students commit suicide over failing grades MANILA, Philippines - Barely three weeks after a student of the University of the Philippines-Manila took her life over failure to pay tuition, two students in Batangas shot themselves dead after receiving failing grades in separate incidents Friday afternoon. Daveson Beron, 22, a mechanical engineering student at Batangas State University, and Don Benedict Pamintuan, 17, a physical therapy freshman at the De La Salle-Dasmarias in Cavite, used a caliber .38 revolver and a shotgun, respectively, in killing themselves, according to Batangas police director Senior Superintendent Rosauro Acio. Beron was found with a gunshot wound in the right temple by his mother Analiza at 12:30 p.m. inside their house in Purok 3, Barangay Bolbok, Batangas City, while Pamintuan was found by his father at 4:15 p.m. inside their bathroom in J.P. Laurel Street, Barangay 2, Nasugbu. Scene of the crime investigators found the caliber .38 revolver beside Berons body and a laptop with a message written on its screen: Im sorry, I quit. Police also found Berons cellphone with a message of apology to his parents and siblings for failing to graduate this year. He also asked their forgiveness for having been a disappointment. He thanked them for guiding him, promised he would be watching over them, and asked for prayers. The family verified school records and was able to confirm that his name was not among the list of graduating students. Meanwhile, investigators said Pamintuan apparently aimed the shotgun under his chin and pulled the trigger, sending splatters of blood and brain on the walls and ceiling. The shotgun, owned by a security guard assigned to man the family hardware store, was stored in the stockroom beside the victims room. The family said Pamintuan could have been depressed when he found out that he got failing grades in four subjects, and was to be transferred to the Batangas State University this coming school year. No suicide note was found beside Pamintuans body. Last March 15, Kristel Tejada, a behavioral science freshman from UP-Manila, drank silver cleaner inside their home in Tondo, after school administrators told her to take a leave of absence from her studies for failing to pay her tuition amounting to P10,000. Kristels death sparked outrage among her fellow UP students and faculty members who demanded to scrap the no payment, no exam policy of the institution. UP officials later gave in to their demands. Three days later, Lee Gunay, a high school sophomore at the St. Bridget College, also in Batangas, shot himself with a caliber .45 pistol after he could no longer take the bullying by his classmates. Source: Ozaeta,A., The Philippine Star. http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/04/08/928172/2-students-commitsuicide-over-failing-grades ***

Suicides up in last 20 years in PH, mostly among young NSO MANILA, Philippines The suicide rate among Filipinos has gone up in the last 21 years with the majority of cases involving young people aged 24 years old and below, according to studies. They also showed that in most instances, the person who committed suicide did so during summer or in the morning when all family members had gone off to work or school, leaving the house empty. Based on records culled from the National Statistics Office, the suicide rate from 1984 to 2005 went up from 0.46 to seven out of every 200,000 men. On the other hand, it jumped from 0.24 to two for every 200,000 women. While the figures might seem insignificant compared with those from neighboring countries that recorded the highest suicide rates, the numbers have gone up from 1984 to 2005, especially among the Filipino youth, said Dr. Dinah Nadera, a psychiatrist and an associate professor of the University of the Philippines Open University who has been working on a suicide prevention strategy. This simply means that there is an increasing trend of suicide [especially] among the youth, particular ly in the age group 5 to 14 and 15 to 24, Nadera said at last weeks media consultation on suicide prevention conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Manila. Meanwhile, a study of around 300 cases collected from the records of hospitals and the police in 2008 and 2009 also revealed that the majority of suicides were carried out at home during summer, particularly during the Lenten season when Catholics observe fasting, prayer and penitence. Of course, this is based on findings from selected cases. We are not saying that this is the general trend for both [suicide and attempted suicide cases], Nadera said. Most of the suicides that were studied occurred in the morningbetween 8:01 a.m. and noonand on weekdays. This is the time when people usually leave the house and go to work and this person who wants to die goes back when no one is home and carries out the suicide when there is no one there, she explained. In contrast, the least number of cases were reported between 12:01 a.m. and 4 a.m., Nadera noted. The study also showed that the leading methods chosen by those who decided to end their lives was hanging, strangulation and suffocation. For those who tried to kill themselves but ended up just sustaining injuries, the preferred means ranged from self-poisoning (mainly ingestion of silver cleaner) to exposure to other unspecified chemicals and noxious substances. Nadera also noted that not all cases were due to depression. She stressed that while it might be a contributory factor, other factors could lead to a persons decision to end ones life such as low income and unemployment, medical conditions such as heart diseases and cancer; and marital status. Dr. Wang Xiangdong, WHO regional adviser in mental health and injury prevention, sounded the alarm over the growing number of people resorting to taking their lives among the young, stressing that suicide must be considered a public health issue rather than a mere event to be treated as a police case. In the Western Pacific Region, which consists of 37 countries and areas, including the Philippines, suicide is the leading cause of death in the age group of 15 to 39, according to Wang. There are big gaps to effective suicide interventions and these are gaps in knowledge, gaps in trans lations of existing knowledge into interventions, and gaps in mental health and crisis support system, Wang told the media recently. Source: Uy, J., Philippine Daily Inquirer. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/229227/suicides-up-in-last-20-years-in-ph-mostlyamong-young-nso

4. Environmental Status A. Biodiversity Hotspot Status of Philippine Biodiversity The Philippines is considered a mega-diverse country rivaled only by a few countries in the world when it comes to variety of ecosystems, species and genetic resources. Many of the islands comprising the archipelago are believed to have a very high degree of plant and animal endemism. The country hosts more than 52,177 described species of which more than half is found nowhere else in the world. On a per unit area basis, the Philippines probably harbors more diversity of life than any other country on the planet. The country is also considered a biodiversity hotspot. This is because the Philippines continues to experience an alarming rate of destruction of these important resources brought about by overexploitation, deforestation, land degradation, climate change, and pollution (including biological pollution), among others. Source: http://www.chm.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=55 *** The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) notes in a video that many species are threatened with extinction. In addition, At threat of extinction are 1 out of 8 birds 1 out of 4 mammals 1 out of 4 conifers 1 out of 3 amphibians 6 out of 7 marine turtles 75% of genetic diversity of agricultural crops has been lost 75% of the worlds fisheries are fully or over exploited Up to 70% of the worlds known species risk extinction if the global temperatures rise by more than 3.5C rd 1/3 of reef-building corals around the world are threatened with extinction Over 350 million people suffer from severe water scarcity Source: http://www.globalissues.org/article/171/loss-of-biodiversity-and-extinctions Philippines remains a biodiversity hotspot Megadiverse hotspot Even though the country has an impressive biodiversity, Papa warned that it also makes the countrys ecosystem very vulnerable to damage, making it a biodiversity hotspot, a region with notable biodiversity but threatened due to human actions. Industrialization and commercialization are the major reasons behind the high rate of destruction of biodiversity. We have a growing population that needs to be fed, so they convert more of our forested l ands into agricultural lands, Papa said. Diesmos noted that disturbances in natural habitats, especially in mountainous areas, will result in either the dispersion of animals to other undisturbed areas or the complete extinction of the species if they fail to adapt to the environment where they moved in. In the case of frogs, some species can still survive even if they move to higher elevations of a mountain. However, some species are highly selective and they cannot survive in different regions with different temperatures, she said.

Diesmos added that the introduction of invasive species of frogs during 1930s and 1960s in the Philippines to control crop insect pests and to improve commercial farming eventually led to the disruption of ecosystems in the country. In her paper titled Status of distribution of alien invasive frogs in the Philippines, the species of Rana catesbeiana, als o called as the American bullfrog, was attributed to the loss of native and endemic species of frog in major islands of the country because it is a carrier of chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease responsible for the massive death and decline of amphibian species worldwide. In addition, Hoplobatrachus chinensis, known as the Chinese Edible Frog, is considered a harmful invasive species because its ability to breed in natural forests results in competition of food resources with other native and endemic species. Meanwhile, Papa said despite the availability of good environmental laws, the country still lacks the ability to reinforce these laws properly. We are weak when it comes to enforcement of laws, that is why our biodiversity gets destroyed. The biologists also pointed out that more people studying biodiversity and proper funds from the government are also important factors in the conservation of the countrys treasures. Studies on animal and plant biodiversity are only being done by only few researchers in different institutions. At present, researchers from RCNAS have already conducted different studies on the distribution of different plants and animals in the country. Data from these studies are helpful in updating the status of biodiversity in the Philippines. There are many species of animals and plants that are continuously discovered especially with the advan cement in molecular sciences. Some of these discoveries just await publication but are now currently on review, Papa said. Source: Altir Christian D. Bonganay and Giuliani Renz G. Paas., http://www.varsitarian.net/sci_tech/20130611/philippines_remains_a_biodiversity_hotspot *** Philippine Biodiversity: Status and Threats Biodiversity as defined in the UNCBD is the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part. Biodiversity consists of variety of species, their genetic make-up, and the communities or population for which they belong. The Philippines is considered as one of the megadiverse country in the world. Considering 7,100 islands, the Philippines has many endemic species of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, freshwater, and invertebrates. The table below shows the number and percent endemism of each taxonomic group: Taxonomic Group Species Endemic Species Percent Endemism Plants 9,253 6,091 65.8 Mammals 167 102 61.1 Birds 535 186 34.8 Reptiles 237 160 67.5 Amphibians 89 76 85.4 Freshwater Fishes 281 67 23.8 Source: Conservation International (2007). Biodiversity Hotspots - Philippines. Accessed from http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/philippines/pages/biodiversity.aspx last Oct.4, 2011 The above species inhabits the countrys varied ecosystems and habitats as follows: Agricultural Biodiversity Dry and Sub-Humid Lands Forest and Mountain Biodiversity Inland Waters Biodiversity Coastal, Marine and Island Biodiversity Karst and Caves Source: DENR-PAWB (2011). Ecosystems / Habitats. Accessed from http://www.chm.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=67&Itemid=85

However, the country was regarded as one of the biodiversity hotspots in the world. This means the country is one of the world's biologically richest but has the most threatened ecosystems. For the past decades, natural and anthropogenic causes has cost the country considerable number of species. Among the most notably known threats are as follows: Destruction of habitat due to illegal logging, mining, quarrying, or kaingin making; Water and air pollution; Oils spills; Wildlife poaching and illegal trade; Introduction of invasive species; including Pest and diseases; Source: http://mea.denr.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=113&Itemid=205