The factors associated with high infant and child mortality point to several areas that

need to be addressed. These include not just improving the maternal and child health care
programs but uplifting socioeconomic conditions as well.

Maternal Mortality Ratio

Maternal mortality or deaths of women
Figure 1.10 Trends in Maternal Mortality Ratio
Philippines, 1993-2003 during pregnancy, at childbirth or in the
250
period after childbirth is another important
MMR (per 100,000

200
indicator of the nation’s health. Based on
live births)

150

100
reports from NDHS, the country’s

50
maternal mortality ratio (MMR) improved.

0
The MMR between 1987 and 1993 was
1998 NDHS
1993 NDHS 2002 Ericta Study
estimated at 209 per 100,000 live births.
Year
Source: National Demographic and Health Survey, 1993 and 1998; This improved to 172 per 100,000 live
Ericta, 2003
births based on estimates between 1991and
1997. A recent study based on the maternal causes of deaths in the civil registry estimated
the MMR at 138 per 100,000 live births in 2002 (Ericta 2003).

Among Filipino women, the lifetime risk of dying

Figure 1.11 Maternal Mortality Ratio by Region
Philippines, 2000 from maternal causes is one in 100. Maternal
NCR
CAR deaths made up less than one percent of the total
Ilocos
Cagayan Valley deaths in the country, but they contribute 14
Central Luzon
Southern Tagalog percent of all deaths in women aged 15-49 years
Bicol
Western Visayas (NSO 1998).
Region

Central Visayas
Eastern Visayas
Western Mindanao
PHS also showed wide regional variations in
Northern Mindanao
MMR. In 2000, the MMR is lowest in NCR at
Southern Mindanao
Central Mindanao around 50 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births
Caraga
ARMM followed by Central Luzon at 60 per 100,000 live
PHILIPPINES

0 50 100 150 200 births and CAR at 70 per 100,000 live births. It is
Mortality Rate
per 100,000 live births highest in Bicol and Eastern Visayas at around
Source: Philippine Health Statistics, 2000
160 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.

Maternal deaths are mainly due to hypertension at around 20 maternal deaths per
100,000 live births, postpartum hemorrhage also at around 20 per 100,000 live births and

12 Chapter 1 Defining the Philippine Health Sector

complications from abortions at 10 per 100,000 live births (PHS 2000). Most of these can
be prevented through quality maternal care.

The MMR in the Philippines is high compared with Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand and
Singapore but better than Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

Leading Causes of Morbidity and Mortality

As in the past, most of the 10 leading causes of morbidity are communicable diseases.
From 1995 to 2000, these included diarrhea, bronchitis,
pneumonia, influenza, tuberculosis, malaria, chickenpox and Table 1.4 Ten Leading Causes of Morbidity
Philippines, 2000
measles. Leading non-communicable causes of morbidity Rate
Cause Number per 100,000
are hypertension and diseases of the heart. population
1. Diarrhea 866,411 1,134.8
2. Bronchitis 700,105 917
Unlike the 10 leading causes of morbidity, deaths are mainly 632,930
3. Pneumonia 829
due to non-communicable diseases. Diseases of the heart and 4. Influenza 502,718 658.5
5. Hypertension 279,992 366.7
the vascular system are the two most common causes of 6. TB Respiratory 126,489 165.7
7. Diseases of the Heart 52,957 69.4
deaths. These made up 29.7 percent of the deaths attributed to 8. Malaria 50,869 66.6
9. Chickenpox 35,306 46.2
the 10 leading causes (PHS 2000). Deaths due to 10. Measles 23,287 30.5
Source: Philippine Health Statistics, 2000
communicable diseases, however, have lessened from 645
deaths per 100,000 population in 1950 to 217.9 per 100,000
in 1980 to 102.6 per 100,000 in 2000. Deaths due to accidents Table 1.5 Ten Leading Causes of Mortality
Philippines, 2000
and injuries increased from 6.4 per 100,000 population in Rate
Cause Number per 100,000
1990 to 42.4 per 100,000 in 2000. In the past decade, diabetes population
1. Diseases of the Heart 60,417 79.1
mellitus has emerged as one of the leading causes of death. 2. Diseases of the 48,271 63.2
Vascular System
Meanwhile, deaths due to diarrhea, septicemia, measles, 3. Malignant Neoplasm 36,414 47.7
4. Pneumonia 32,637 42.7
avitaminosis and other nutritional disorders are no longer in 5. Accidents 32,355 42.4
6. Tuberculosis, all forms 27,557 36.1
the top ten leading causes of deaths although these are still of 7. Chronic Obstructive 15,904 20.8
Pulmonary Disease and
serious concern. Allied Conditions
8. Certain conditions 15,098 19.8
originating in the
Although progress has been made in the past decades to Perinatal period
9. Diabetes Mellitus 10,747 14.1
control communicable diseases as leading causes of deaths in 10. Nephritis, Nephrotic 7,963 10.4
Syndrome and Nephrosis
the country, their burden as a cause of morbidity is still high.
Source: Philippine Health Statistics, 2000
On the other hand, non-communicable and chronic diseases
have emerged as the major causes of death. The disease burden is gradually shifting to
non-communicable diseases as the Philippines industrializes and becomes more

National Objectives for Health Philippines 2005-2010 13