TIGblogs - VOICEMASTER

NATIONAL YOUTH SITUATIONER

The primary objective of this paper is to simply provide an overview of the conditions and problems confronting today’s Filipino youth, government’s various efforts at responding to such conditions and problems, and the gaps or challenges that must be surmounted to effectively undertake measures aimed at enhancing the welfare of the youth. Much of what is written here has already been discussed and written about in government circles; what we have done is to add new data where available, and add a non-government perspective to the issues at hand.

In organizing the first part of paper–sectoral mapping–we decided to use four aspects of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) as levels of analysis. These aspects pertain to the child’s rights to survival, development, protection and participation. The decision to use the CRC is in keeping with the global trend toward mainstreaming children’s rights in all arenas – whether public or private – and in promoting the use of the CRC as operating framework for conceptualizing, formulating and implementing programs that aim at children and youth development. That the Philippine government is a signatory to the Convention makes the operationalization of the CRC an even more pressing concern. In describing the various conditions of the youth, we have cited as examples the specific problems confronting the four youth sub-sectors, namely, In-School, out-of-school, Working Youth, and Youth with Special Needs.

But while this paper focuses on the Filipino youth, a sectoral situationer cannot be divorced from the larger world within which it exists. Hence, the second part of the paper discusses basic external conditions that affect the youth, specifically the national economic situation and the related impact of globalization. In tackling these external conditions, we want to show that while any proposed solution to the youth’s problems must take into account the uniqueness of the sector, larger forces beyond the control of individual stakeholders – youth, government, private sector – impinge on, and frequently shape the responses aimed at providing redress to the youth’s problems. Awareness of these larger forces will hopefully enable the youth – as both subject and object of development – to better comprehend the social and political terrain within which they operate, towards acquiring a clearer view of the potentials as well as limitations in working for their own advancement.

In addition to the research done to complete this Youth Situationer, sixteen (16) Regional Youth Summits were also conducted. Concerns of the youth regarding survival and development, participation and protection issues were culled from the discussions among the 4 categories of children – In School, Out-of-School, Working Youth and Youth with Special Needs in various regions. This situationer, while discussing the efforts done by various sectors and the gaps in their responses, also highlights the commitments and plans of the youth.

The following regions were covered in this research:

Region I - Ilocos
Region II - Cagayan Valley
Region III - Central Luzon
Region IV - Southern Tagalog
Region V - Bicol
Region VI - Western Visayas
Region VII - Central Visayas
Region VIII - Eastern Visayas
Region IX - Western Mindanao
Region X - Northern Mindanao
Region XI - Southern Mindanao
Region XII - Central Mindanao
National Capital Region (NCR)
Cordillera Autonomous Region ( CAR)
Autonomous Regions (ARMM)
CARAGA

PART I: SITUATION OF THE FILIPINO YOUTH

In its 1998 report on the state of world population, the United Nations Population Fund noted that while the number of people aged 60 and above stood at nearly 600M, young people between the ages of 15-24 numbered 1.05B. Making up 20% of the world population, 85% of these youth lived in developing countries. Globally, Asia had the largest share of adolescents (aged 10-19) and other young age groups, with 60% of the world population. (UNFPA, 1998)

Needless to say, poor societies especially face increasing pressures to provide for the developmental needs of young people. Ironically, for such a large group in such an important phase of their lives, the youth are remarkably absent from the development policies in most societies, both as participants and as beneficiaries of development programs. (Auer, no date)

So much has already been said about the important role of youth as a strong human resource base that can further enhance and sustain a country’s level of development. But, to fulfill this role, the youth must also be able to explore their full potentials and develop themselves individually. They must be able to enjoy their inalienable rights to survival, development, protection and participation.

SURVIVAL AND DEVELOPMENT

In the past, partly due to considerations of mortality rates alone, adolescence and youth were viewed as one of the healthiest periods in a person’s life span. As a consequence, health programs focused on adolescents and youth as a sub-population are still underdeveloped, not only in the Philippines, but in many parts of the world.

Yet, adolescence is a critical period of growth and learning marked by many physical, emotional, behavioral and social changes. As they experience feelings of anxiety, excitement and fear mixed with a sense of invulnerability, impulsiveness and need for belonging, adolescents explore new means of self-expression, test out perceived potentials and push the bounds of externally imposed limitations (by parents and other sources of authority), and act out peer-approved behavior. They are also exploring an emerging sexuality.

As such changes are compounded by far-reaching transformation in society (i.e. rapid urbanization and the erosion of traditional social values), adolescents and young people face a range of choices, challenges and health problems that frequently combine to limit or curtail the likelihood of a positive and healthy development. The challenges to their health and development will not only impact on the current generation of young people, but also on their health later in adult life as well as on their children’s health when they become parents.

Lack of access to correct and sufficient information as well as adequate services concerning their health, and the absence of proper guidance that would enable them to acquire adequate life skills, will only make young people more vulnerable to the effects of high-risk behavior, e.g., illnesses, untimely death, substance abuse, unplanned pregnancies, and reproductive tract infections, including STD/HIV-AIDS.

Regional Youth Summits conducted last September 2001 obtained first hand data from the youth themselves on the issues that confront them in their respective regions. The results show that the leading issues on survival and development that the Filipino youth face today are:

• Education
• Employment
• General Health (Mortality and morbidity)
• Reproductive health
• Family problems

The following table is a summary of the top survival and development issues the youth have to contend with in their specific regions.

TOP SURVIVAL AND DEVELOPMENT ISSUES REGIONS AFFECTED TOTAL

1 Education 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, CAR, NCR, CARAGA 14
2 Employment 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 22, 12, NCR, CAR, CARAGA 14
3 Health 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, CAR 10
4 Reproductive Health 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, NCR, CAR 10
5 Family Problems 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, NCR, CAR 9
6 Environmental Awareness 1,2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, CAR 8
7 Early Marriages 1, 3, 5, 6, 10, CAR, CARAGA 7
8 Mental Health 1, 7, 8, 10, 11, CAR, NCR 7
9 Moral Degradation 1, 2, 6, 8, 10, NCR, CAR 7
10 Peer Pressure 1, 6, 8, 10, NCR, CAR 6
11 Poverty 1, 2, 3, 4 CAR, CARAGA 6
12 Age and gender discrimination CAR, CARAGA 2
13 Others 11, 12 2

Education

1. Demands of Technology

As the world economy becomes increasingly dependent on advanced information and communications technologies to create new production systems and generate wealth, developing countries like the Philippines are pressured to produce technically competent personnel in order to compete in the global arena. Gone are the days when all the country could boast of is a vast pool of cheap and low-skilled labor to attract foreign investment, if only because emerging economies like Vietnam, Cambodia and others can provide even cheaper sources of low-skilled labor. But going up the “hierarchy of labor quality” cannot be achieved, much less sustained without the provision of and access to high quality education and training. Philippine education is challenged to provide young people with marketable knowledge and skills in the information age.

However, it is apparent that the country is finding it difficult to face this challenge. According to the participants of the Regional Youth Summits Philippine education cannot cope with the demands of technology. Youth from various sectors in Region 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10 and NCR cited the problem of a technologically inept education sector during the regional consultations. For the detailed responses of the participants, refer to Annex G.

2. Access to Education

Over the past years, various government policies had been enacted to ensure that every Filipino is provided with equitable access, high quality and relevant education. But despite these initiatives, many young Filipinos among the poor and from rural areas do not have access to basic education; for example, in SY 1999-2000, only 65.44% of high school-age youth managed to enroll (versus government target of 67.82%). Too, the drop-out rate for the same school year was at 13.02%, below the national target of 10.08%. (NEDA, April 2001)

Results of the Regional Youth Summits also show that government policies have not been enough to cushion the impact of the inaccessibility of education in the country. Several regional participants articulated that the drop-out rate in schools in Region 6, 8, 10, 12 and CAR have been increasing lately.

DECS data for SY 1999-2000 show that 12.6M children were enrolled in elementary school (93% in public schools), and 5.1M in high school (76% in public schools). However, secondary enrolment remained heavily concentrated in NCR, Region 3 and 4, which accounted for 40% of total secondary enrolment. In addition, provinces with high poverty incidence and low life expectancy rates, particularly in Muslim Mindanao, also registered a significant decline in basic enrolment ratio. (NSO, 2000)

The 1999 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey also shows that:

 of the 5.2M families with children aged 13-16, 3.1M (58.9%) had members currently enrolled in high school, but only 842,751 of such families came from the lowest 40% – a decline of 11 percentage points from 1998 figures

 of the 2M families with children in tertiary school, 259,831 (12.8%) had members in tertiary school who received scholarship from government or the private sector – an increase of 3.2% from 1998 – but only 29,345 beneficiary-families belonged to the lowest 40%.

Generally, most tertiary schools are concentrated in NCR, Region 3 and 4, and the more affluent regions of the country. Since most of these schools are privately owned and charge high tuition fees, it is hardly surprising that only the well-off and well-prepared students are accepted. (ESCAP, 2000)

The participants of the Regional Youth Summits agree to the foregoing statement that says education in our country is expensive. The table below illustrates what sector of the youth complained of the high price of education, and what regions are affected.

YOUTH CATEGORY REGIONS AFFECTED BY HIGH TUITION FEES

In- School Youth 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, NCR
Out-of- School Youth 1, 5, 10, 12
Working Youth 5, 6, 12
Youth with Special Needs 12

The expensive nature of education has led the youth to conclude that education is a privilege, rather than a right. The following table specifies the sectors and regions affected by the inaccessibility of education, based on the Regional Youth Summits results.

YOUTH CATEGORY REGIONS AFFECTED BY INACCESSIBILITY OF EDUCATION

In- School Youth 5, 8, 9, CAR
Out-of- School Youth 1, 5, 6, CAR
Working Youth 5
Youth with Special Needs 3

The inaccessibility of education, and the high price it takes to obtain it is further aggravated by the fact that scholarships are hard to acquire because of stringent requirements (reported by Region 1, 9, 11, NCR), or these were not fairly distributed (according to representatives of Region 1, 9, 11, 12, CAR and NCR).

3. Quality of Education

Besides improving access, more effort must be exerted to raise the quality of education. Data culled over the years provide an alarming picture: from 1983 to the present, the drop-out rate among high school students has steadily increased from 6.04% in SY 1988-89 to 13.02% in SY 1999-2000. The completion rate, which measures the proportion of students finishing high school, has generally shown that 25-30% of high school students never get to do it. (NYC, 1998 and NEDA, April 2001)

The decline in the quality of education is commonly attributed to inadequate or inappropriate government spending. Though DECS’ budget has consistently gotten the largest share of the total budget for social services since as far back as 1975, much of this has gone to pay for personal services (salaries and other forms of compensation). For example, in 1987 personal services had a 68.9% share in the DECS budget; this had risen to 89.1% by 1998. On the other hand, a very small percentage is spent on good and adequate textbooks, laboratories, libraries and other learning facilities, maintenance and repair of dilapidated classrooms, etc. Exacerbating the problem is, of course, corruption; for example, textbooks for public schools marked “Government Property: Not for Sale” often find their way in retail vending outlets (HDN, 2000)

Comparison of Textbooks per Pupil in Elementary and Secondary Public Schools (selected years and subjects)

Year Elementary High School
TOTAL* Eng Sci Math Social Studies TOTAL* Eng Sci Math Social Studies
1983 2.39 1.11 0.16 0.26 0.13 3.25 0.61 0.45 0.58 0.83
1989 3.12 0.93 - 0.65 0.65 no data -o- -o- -o- -o-
1994 3.72 0.88 - 0.62 1.24 3.38 0.65 0.44 0.38 1.53
1995 2.96 0.69 - 0.43 1.01 2.52 0.49 0.31 0.29 1.15
1997 3.44 0.94 - 0.69 1.06 1.21 0.18 0.19 0.20 0.42
1998 2.50 0.72 - 0.54 0.42 1.03 0.17 0.11 0.22 0.34
1999 1.38 0.42 - 0.33 0.38 0.60 0.11 0.13 0.15 0.11
* includes books for Filipino

The preceding table shows in detail two important facts:

• over the years but especially from 1995, high school student were given fewer textbooks and have had to share their books
• that government could not adequately cope with the burgeoning demand for textbooks, due to various reasons, is evidenced by the remarkably low textbook-student ratio among high school students by the time of the Estrada administration in 1999

The shortage of textbooks was also raised by participants of the Regional Youth Summits. According to delegates from Region 3, 8, and 11, there was a glaring lack of textbooks in their respective schools.

Besides the lack of textbooks, the situation of teachers has a lot to do with the decline in quality. Statistics culled from 1945/46 to 1996/97 show that the number of teachers had steadily risen over the 30 year-period with annual growth rate of 5.4%. Presently numbering to around 600,000 (in public and private schools), teachers constitute the largest professional occupation in the country. But such a large teaching force is still unable to cope with the even larger student population. While the pupil-teacher ratio in SY 1997-98 was 35:1 in public elementary schools and 34:1 in public secondary schools, such numbers do not represent actual class sizes, which better reflect the learning conditions that students face. The average class size for public elementary schools is 41, and 50 for public high schools. (HDN, 2000) It must be noted, however, that “average class size” provides a incomplete picture, in that regional disparities in class size abound, with communities in far-flung rural areas and depressed urban areas having a class size of as much as 70 students at a time.

Region 6 is one sample. According to In-School Youth in the area, the pupil-teacher ratio is 70:1. Participants from this region complained that it was hard enough that they have to walk 3 to 7 kilometers everyday to reach their school, but to hold it under trees, together with 69 other students is just too much.

Other youth also complained of the perceived incompetency of their teachers. Participants from Region 6 cited the experience of HRM students in their area, “Students are trained to become waiters rather than to become professionals. ” They added, “Schools do not teach us to become self-reliant.” This, and a host of other problems, has greatly contributed to the decline in the quality of education. This has prompted In-School Youth from various regions to become frustrated with what they call the system of “miseducation” in the country.

The decline in quality is also evidenced by poor results in standardized examinations like NEAT, NSAT and professional examinations. In SY 1999-2000 the actual achievement level for NEAT was 49.19 (versus target of 52.58) and for NSAT 53.34 as against target of 48.62. For higher education, the average passing percentage in national board exams was 44.38, which fell short of the government target of 50. (NEDA, April 2001) Unfortunately, there is a dearth of statistics that can provide a clearer and comprehensive picture of the state of higher education.

Other than accessibility and quality, students must see the relevance and applicability of education in their everyday lives, so that they will be motivated to remain in school. This is especially true for poor families and indigenous and/or non-Christian communities. Unfortunately, the curriculum development policy largely takes on a “one-size-fits-all” approach.

This gap in policy has been deeply felt by the youth. Participants in the Youth Summit in Region 2 articulated their need for more skills and livelihood training in schools. For them, education is their only hope for a better future, so it is imperative that education should be improved, and geared towards the real lives of the students. Region 1 participants share the same sentiment. For them, education should become more relevant to their needs.

These same concerns were echoed by other participants in different provinces. In-School Youth from Region 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, CAR and CARAGA complained of the degradation of education, the irrelevant curriculum, and insufficient facilities and classrooms.

These problems in the education sector have devastating and far-reaching effects in the lives of the youth. Education equips the youth with the necessary skills and weapons to enable them to live their lives to their fullest potentials. But as the results of the Regional Youth Summits show, the youth are molded by a program of inaccessible education that is highly expensive and of poor quality. Philippine education if not improved upon in the immediate future, could be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, threat to our youth’s development.

Below is a table of education issues manifested by the youth in different regions:

EDUCATION REGIONS AFFECTED

Curriculum not suited for students / irrelevant 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, NCR
Education not accessible (formal/non-formal) esp. in rural areas 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, CAR
Education cannot cope with demand of info technology 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, NCR
High tuition fees / expensive tuition 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, NCR
Lack of competent teachers 2, 4, 11
Lack of education programs for Youth with Special Needs 3, 10, 11, NCR
Laziness of teachers / supervisors seldom visit the school 3, 9
Low achievement in NSAT 6,
Low budget for education 5, NCR
Many students drop out of classes 6, 8, 10, 12, CAR
Most children cannot go to college level 6
No system of education/lack of consistency in school policy 2, 6, 8
Only first class provinces have good colleges/schools 6,
Poor learning capacity of students 6, 12
Poor quality of education / low standard 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, CARAGA, NCR
Poor ventilation in classrooms especially gov't schools 2, 3
Scholarships given to not fairly distributed 1, 9, 11, 12, CAR, NCR
Grade requirement to avail of scholarship program too high 1, 9, 11, NCR
Schools do not cater to students from low income groups 3, NCR
Shortage of textbooks and school supplies 3, 8, 11
Shortage of facilities/buildings/classrooms 1 ,3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, CAR
Shortage of teachers/ low student-teacher ratio 6, 11
No literacy program/low literacy rate 6, 10, NCR
Unequal opportunities for educational assistance in gov't offices 3,
Commercialized education 8
Lack of teacher training 8, 10

Employment

Employment allows citizens not only to contribute to the economy but also to improve their standard of living and learning opportunities. However, improved living standards and enhanced learning opportunities do not result automatically from mere employment to just wages, security of tenure, good working conditions, access to social security, and employment opportunities in terms of availability of jobs. Adequate matching of education and employment is also critical in this regard.

Like many developing countries, the Philippines has a young labor force. As the April 2001 labor force survey shows, those from ages 15-24 years have a high participation rate of about 60%, make up 26% of the 33.621M-strong labor force and constitute 21.4% of total employed persons. However, gender disparity in employment remains stark, with employed males making up a high 65% of those employed in the 15-24 age group. (NSO, 2001)

Labor Force Statistics, April 2001

Age
Group Total Population Pop’n in
Labor Force Labor Force Part’n Rate (%) Employed Unemployed
15-24 14,842,000 8,843,000 59.6 6,244,000 2,598,000
25-34 9,393,000 7,180,000 76.4 6,345,000 835,000
Others 24,507,000 17,600,000 71.8 16,572,000 1,028,000
Total* 48,742,000 33,621,000 69% 29,160,000 4,461,000
* details may not add up to totals due to rounding

Generally, as the Survey on Working Children noted, the young worker enters the labor force at an average age of 17, although the rural youth enter at an early age of 15, as they are involved in farming activities. (NSO, 1995)

What conditions have the youth been confronting in the workplace?

 Working Youth receive sub-minimum wages

Minimum wage provisions do not protect many of the Working Youth, particularly in rural areas. Those who work in manufacturing are either paid on a piece-rate basis or with extremely low wages. Compared to their male counterparts, young women workers – even those with higher educational attainment – receive lower salaries. As a result, more young workers work extra shifts or find other sources of income to augment relatively low income.

One concrete example is the situation of Working Youth in CAR. Working Youth from CAR experience severe hardships in farms and hilltops without receiving just pay. One participant from the region complained, “all the hard work are given to the youth but the pay is still small” (Mabibigat na trabaho binibigay sa kabataan pero maliit pa rin ang kita).

Participants from Region 1, 4, 9, 10, and 11 also raised the same issue. Most of the Working Youth in the area complained of unjust or low pay. This problem further aggravates their situation because most of them live in poverty and some are breadwinners of the family.

 Young workers have poor access to social security

Of the approximately 20M youth workers, only 13.8% are covered by social security, while 11% are considered as non-contributing members (those who are temporarily out of job or their employers do not remit their contributions). Of the 1.8M working children aged 15-17, only 20,134 were insured in 1993.

 Young workers supply much of sub-contracted labor

In a 1995 survey of garments, footwear and handicrafts firms, the Institute of Labor Studies noted the extensive use of child labor in export-led industries, both in factories and off-site through subcontracting. Majority of these workers belonged to the 15-17 age bracket, and most worked for six days a week and more than 8 hours a day. In exchange, they received sub-minimum wage and few fringe benefits.

This survey is attested by real experiences of the youth representatives in the Youth Summits. Youth from Region 1, 2, 6, 10, 11, 12, and NCR reported the prevalence of sub-contracted labor. According to the participants, contractualization does not only mean job insecurity, it also means low pay and no social security. As one Working Youth representative from Region 3 succinctly explained - “contractual means no bonuses, no SSS, no 13th month pay and 176 minimum wage or lower.”

 Workers aged 15-17 are often found in hazardous and stressful jobs

In rural areas, the most common hazardous ingredients to which minors are exposed are chemicals, insufficient illumination, viruses and bacteria. In urban areas, a hazardous setting for children is the presence of liquid chemicals, fumes and vapors from paint spraying, high temperatures and humid conditions, poor lighting and ventilation. A number of minors exposed to these reportedly complained of various work-related health problems, such as weight loss, dizziness, exhaustion, lung diseases and injuries.

In CAR, the youth are exposed to hazardous working conditions. Delegates from CAR reported that children used as farmhands inhale harmful chemicals, which causes respiratory diseases. They also disclosed the presence of children braving the hilltops of Baguio to peddle wares in order to augment their family income.

Other children from various regions nationwide also experience the same problem. Youth participants from Region 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 reported that at work, their safety is never guaranteed. Working Youth in Region 4 expressed that they feel exploited and abused. Youth from Region 1 also said that crime was rampant in their area, and it somehow disrupts their work. All sectors of the youth in Region 5 also expressed concern over the hazardous working conditions the youth are exposed to.

 Working Youth constitute a significant segment of overseas workers

The 1999 Survey of Overseas Filipino Workers showed that the 15-29 age group made up about 34% (352,000) of over 1M overseas workers deployed from April to September 1999. Of the total figure, 23% were males aged 20-29 (no male worker aged 15-19 went overseas), majority of whom were deployed in Saudi Arabia as transport equipment operators. Females aged 15-29 (including 6,000 with ages 15-19) comprised 45% of the overseas workers; most of them went to East Asian countries as helpers and house-related service workers. (NSO, 1999)

Most of the regional youth representatives were alarmed by the sudden increase in the number of youth seeking work abroad. CARAGA is one of the regions affected by this occurrence. In this area, all sectors of the youth were forced to work abroad because of poverty. The same trend is apparent in Region 8, 11, CAR and NCR.

The regional representatives reasoned that most of the youth opted to work abroad because they feel that there is no growth and development for them here in the Philippines. A representative from Region 2 said “if we could only find good jobs here, then there will be no brain drain.”

Below is the summary of employment issues raised by the youth:

EMPLOYMENT REGIONS AFFECTED
Discrimination in the workplace (gender/experience) 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, CARAGA, NCR
Forced labor 4, NCR
Labor code not implemented well/need to be improved 1, NCR
Lack of job opportunities (especially for graduates) 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, CAR, NCR
Lack of occupational safeguards 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, CAR, NCR
Lack of job security (contractuals) 1, 2, 6, 10, 11, 12, CAR, NCR
Low job performance 1,10
Low wages / underpaid 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, NCR
Lower or no benefits for contractuals 1, 5, 6, 8
Need for skills training 6, 8, 10, CAR, CARAGA
No program for youth engaged in agriculture/food security 6, 8, 9, 10, CARAGA
Palakasan system /nepotism (in hiring) 1, 6, 8, 9, 10, CARAGA
Samals and Badjaos begging due to unemployment 9
Underemployment 6, 8, NCR
Youth need to sacrifice studies in order to work 9, CAR
Opportunity to be working student limited 2, CAR
Unemployment 1, 2, 3, 11, CAR, CARAGA, NCR
Youth forced to work abroad/brain drain 2, 8, CAR, CARAGA, NCR
Lack of information on job opportunities 8, 10, NCR
Need for livelihood program 9, 11
Oversupply of graduates in in-demand courses 8, 10
Lack of funds to support training programs for youth 8

Health

1. Mortality and Morbidity

Unlike other age groups, much remains to be done to address the specific health needs of Filipino youth. For one, the leading causes of death among 10-19 year age group are accidents and other forms of violent death. These differ quite notably from the leading cause of death for the general population – diseases of the heart. Also, diseases that affect a child are the leading causes that young people have to contend with, namely, pneumonia, chronic rheumatic heart disease, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal tract diseases and tuberculosis.

A survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute-Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) in 2000 showed that among the 11-19 age group, 33 out of every 100 were underweight, while 24 out of every 100 of them were also found to be underweight for their height. According to UNICEF, the Philippines ranked 15th on the list of countries with high rates of stunted children (3 out of 10), and that this is due to poverty and malnutrition.

The participants of the Regional Youth Summits corroborated this finding. Based on their response, a significant sector of the youth faces the threat of malnutrition.

In-School Youth participants from Region 1, 2, 4, and 10 shared their fear that malnutrition would always be a constant threat to their lives. Out-School-Youth from Region 2 and 4, Working Youth from Region 4 and CAR and Youth with Special Needs from Region 5 also expressed the same concern.

2. Reproductive Health

In 1996, a nationwide survey conducted by the Social Weather Station for the National Youth Commission estimated that 2.7M people aged 15-30 – 13% of the projected youth population of 20.7M for 1997 – have had premarital sexual relations, 1M engaged in sex that they paid for, while the same proportion had engaged in sex and been paid for it. On the other hand, 1.7M youth claimed to have had sex against their own will, while 828,000 had experienced forcing someone to have sex with them. (SWS, 1996)

A similar study conducted in 1999 by the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines reported that 1.8M males and 700,000 females aged 15-24 were practicing premarital sex. (HAIN, February 2000)

Contraception:
 Over 1.4M or 74% of the 1.8M sexually active youth aged 15-24 do not use any form of contraception; 78% of sexually active male adolescents have never used a condom, and 60% of them have had commercial sex. (UPPI, 1994)
 Contraceptive prevalence rate – or the proportion of married women 15-49 years reporting use of contraceptives – is up by 2.8 percentage points, from 47% in 1997 to 49.8% in 2000. Women with higher educational attainment are more likely to use a contraceptive method compared to those with lower educational attainment or no education at all. (NSO, 2001)

Incidence of teenage and unplanned pregnancies:

 Young mothers aged 15-24 account for 30% of all births, 17% of induced abortion cases, 12% of normal deliveries, 6% of spontaneous abortions, 3 out 4 maternal deaths, and 74% of all illegitimate births. (POPCOM, 2001)
 About 58% of adolescents experienced reproductive health problems but only 16% sought medical attention. (POPCOM, 2001)
 The National Demographic and Health Survey projected that 1 out of every 5 females will be married by age 19; by age 24, nearly 60% will be married. Although only 7% of women aged 15 to 19 will become mothers before they turn 20, rural teenagers are twice as likely to become pregnant than their urban counterparts. Also, 36% of young women surveyed had conceived before marriage. (NSO, 1998)

HIV-AIDS

 Of the 1,505 persons that reportedly tested HIV-positive, 537 (36%) are young people aged 10 to 29. Of this age group, 309 are females, 285 of whom were aged 20-29.

In the youth’s perspective, reproductive health is one of the most neglected areas in survival and development. According to the results of the Regional Youth Summits, Region 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and CAR perceive a definite problem in the way the reproductive health of the youth has been handled.

Youth Representatives from Region 1 reported a rise in sexually transmitted disease and a lack of information on reproductive health issues. The delegates from Region 6 also shared that abortion was becoming rampant in their area, compounded with the rise of sexually transmitted disease. The youth sector in Region 8 was also experiencing the same problem, while representatives of all the youth sectors in Region 9 and 10 reported that awareness of reproductive health issues was very low in their respective regions. In-School Youth and Out-of-School Youth in the NCR also said that they lack vital information on reproductive health issues.

Several youth from Region 1, 6, 8 and CAR also noted the prevalence of abortion cases in their areas.

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH REGIONS AFFECTED
Abortion 1, 6, 8, CAR
Rise in sexually transmitted disease 1, 6, 8
lack of awareness on HIV / STDs / reproductive health issues 3, NCR
Lack of awareness on contraceptive use 9, 10, CAR
Inaccessible pregnancy crisis centers CAR

3. Mental Health

A study commissioned by UNICEF on youth from East Asia and the Pacific revealed that while 64% of the Filipino youth may not be happy most of the time, they are nonetheless among the most optimistic in the Asia-Pacific region. In fact, 43% of the 500 Filipinos surveyed were hopeful that they would enjoy a better life than their parents do. The study indicated that the relative unhappiness of Filipino children and adolescents could be the result of their higher exposure to violence inside and outside the home compared to their regional counterparts. (HAIN, June 2001)

A 1993 World Health Organization study on Suicide Prevention indicated 848 suicides that year, almost thrice the annual average during the preceding year. Notably, 68.9% or 584 suicides were committed from among those aged 15-34. The age group of 15-24 had 40.6% or 344 of the suicide cases, of which 175 were committed by young men. Unfortunately, there is hardly any research done to determine the causes of suicide among Filipino youth. (WHO, 2000)

According to the participants of the Youth Summits, suicide is prevalent in some sectors of the youth in specific areas. The youth who voiced out this observation were the Youth with Special-Needs from Region 1, 6, 8 and Working Youth of Region 10 and CAR.

The Regional Youth Consultations also showed that mental health problems are caused or aggravated by tribal wars and armed conflict. In- School Youth of CAR voiced out that tribal war has induced aggression in some of them. Armed conflict has also caused trauma in In-School Youth and Working Youth in their area.

Quarrels inside the home also cause mental health problems. Youth with Special Needs from Region 6 and CAR also reported that their parents’ quarrels have also given them fear.

MENTAL HEALTH REGIONS AFFECTED
Armed conflict causes trauma CAR
Aggression induced by tribal war CAR
Suicide 1, 6, 8 10, CAR
Fear caused by parents' quarrel 6, CAR

5. Health Services

Often and at various times, many health advocates lament the small share of public health in the government budgets. In 1998, for example, the health sub-sector received 9.5% of the total government social services budget, or P14.5-B, representing a real decline of 15.4% from the 1997 funding (PIDS 1999). In a TV interview recently, Sen. John Osmeña criticized the Arroyo administration for reportedly allocating only P11-B for health. Needless to say, such a small budget greatly affects quality implementation of public health services and programs.

In addition to shrinking budgets, most health services remain focused on adults and young children, often failing to meet the special needs of youth, especially in terms of privacy, accessibility and cost. Health workers are rarely trained in understanding youth issues, and there are relatively few health services that cater specifically to youth.

These flaws in the health program of the government have adversely affected the youth. Based on the results of the youth summits, the youth widely perceive that health services and facilities for the youth are grossly mishandled and misallocated.

Health services, according to In-School Youth of regions 3, 8, 9, 10 and 11, Out-of-School Youth from Region 10 and 11, Working Youth from Region 3 and 11 and Youth with Special Needs of Region 11 and CAR, are inadequate.

Health centers are inaccessible to some sectors of the youth in Region 3, 8, 9, and 10. Some sectors of the youth in certain regions (6, 4, 3) also reported lack of medicines, or that the medicines are not equally distributed (1, 6).

Below is a table of health related issues manifested in the different regions and felt by the different sectors of the youth.

HEALTH REGIONS AFFECTED

Inadequate health services / facilities 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, CAR
Lack of health programs 6, 11, 3
Lack of medicines in health centers 6, 4, 3
Lack of health services during tribal war 4, 5, CAR
OSY neglected in health programs 3, CAR
Medicines not being distributed equally 1, 6
Inaccessibility of health centers 9, 8, 3, 10
Poor health 11, CAR, 8
Unsafe drinking water CAR

Family Problems

The family is one of the areas in the life of the youth that has been highly dramatized in media but has never really been given attention to as one of that factors that help or hamper the survival and development of the child.

In the recently concluded Regional Youth Summits, this area was one of the top five concerns of the youth. According to the results, children suffer under difficult circumstances in the home which affects them not only physically, but also mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Participants from Region 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, CAR and NCR express the distress of the youth over bad parenting. According to the respondents, morality and moral values are no longer taught in the home. Family values are slowly weakening, and children are left to fend for themselves (1, 3).

Conflicts and quarrels in the home are also causes for concern for children. CAR respondents reported that quarrels between parents plant fear in the heart of the child.

The Regional Summits also became a venue where the youth shared their concern over the number of broken families in their areas. Participants from Region 1, 3, 6, 8 and 12 were alarmed over the number of broken families in their provinces.

The youth also shared that they get the necessary moral support for life from their family, but a number of them reported that nowadays, this, too, is slowly changing. Several participants raised that families no longer act as support mechanism for the youth. The regions which shared this observation were Region 1, 3 and 8. Region 2, 12 and the NCR reported that children and parents need to dialogue regularly to talk about problems inside the home.

FAMILY PROBLEMS REGIONS AFFECTED
Family negligence (bad parenting) 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, CAR, NCR
Broken family 1, 3, 6, 8, 12
Family disorder / conflict CAR
Lack of moral support from parents which affects children 1, 3, 8
Weakening family values 1, 3
Need for open communication between parents and children 2, 12, NCR

Environmental Concerns

The youth also voiced out their concern over the environment. The participants from Region 1, 2, 8, and 9 noted the rampant destruction of their environment. Aside from these, they also voiced out the need for proper waste management in their specific regions (1, 8, 9, 11, 12, and CAR).

The youth participants of the Regional Summits also discussed illegal logging and illegal fishing. Several participants reported that illegal logging was still unbridled (8, 12 and CAR) as is illegal fishing (8 and CAR).

Traffic is also a problem for youth in Region 8, as is the lack of programs concerning the environment. They also complained about the PNOC exploration in Mt. Kanlaon.

The lack of electricity (8, 9 and CAR), lack of access roads (8, 9, 10 and CAR) and the lack of playgrounds (8, 9 and CAR) were also observed by the youth.

Other issues mentioned were pollution (8) and concerns about GMO (8) were also cited.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS REGIONS AFFECTED

Destruction of the natural environment 1, 2, 8, 9, 12
Need for proper waste management 1, 8, 9, 11, 12, CAR
Limited environmental awareness 8, 11, 12, CAR
Illegal logging 8, 12, CAR
Illegal fishing/depletion of marine resources 8, CAR
Traffic 8
No program to engage youth in environmental programs 8
PNOC exploration in Mt. Kanlaon 8
GMO 8
Preservation of environment 8, 9
No electricity 8, 9, CAR
No access roads/infrastructure 8, 9, 10, CAR
No playgrounds for youth 8, 9, CAR
Pollution CAR

The Out-of-School Youth as a vulnerable sub-population

While all youth have survival and development needs, it is the Out-of-School Youth that loses the most in this regard. The World Bank paper “Out of School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities” (July 2001) notes that, of the estimated 40M children and youth below the age of 25 years, an increasing proportion is made up of out-of-school children and youth.

Who are the Out-of-School Youth? Where can they be found, and what circumstances lead them to present conditions?

As noted by the World Bank paper, the National Youth Commission and the Interagency Committee on Education and Manpower Development Statistics define the “out-of-school children and youth” (OSCY) as those who are:

 7-14 years old, not enrolled in any formal or vocational school; or
 15-24 years old, not enrolled in any formal or vocational school, not employed, and not in the tertiary level, and not a graduate of any course.

Demographic Trends

The NSO’s 1999 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey showed the OSCY population increased from 2.983M in 1989 to 9.526M in 1999; for the period of 1994-99 alone, the OSCY population grew at 8.1% annually even as the total youth population grew at only 2% a year.

In relation, the series of Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) showed that, while in 1989 the OSCY population was estimated at 12.3% of the total youth population, by 1999 it had grown to 33%. The 1994 FLEMMS noted that:

 the number of female OSYs grew more rapidly than that of male OSYs
 there were more OSYs in rural areas, constituting 14.4% of total rural youth population, as against 13.8% in urban areas
 the regions that recorded the highest proportions of OSY relative to the youth population were Region 9-Western Mindanao (18.7%), ARMM (17.5%), and Region 7-Central Visayas (17.4%)
 the rest of the regions reported OSY proportions ranging from 11.6% (Ilocos) to 16.3% (Region 10-Northern Mindanao); only CAR was “impressive” at 7.3%.

In terms of absolute OSY populations, FLEMMS’ comparison of the top five regions for 1989 and 1994 is worth looking at:

1994 1989
1. NCR 1. NCR
2. Region 4 2. Region 4
3. Region 3 3. Region 3
4. Region 7 4. Region 5
5. Region 11 5. Region 7

What is ironic about the so-called “top five” regions that have the most number of OSYs is that these are also the same regions – particularly 3, 4, 7 and 11 – where former administrations had actively promoted “growth centers” through infrastructure development, local tourism and creation of special economic zones. On the other hand, it would be interesting to study why Region 5 was able to get out of this notorious company: whether local development policies and economic conditions successfully stemmed the growth of OSYs, or whether because these OSYs have simply migrated to other places, to cite two of many possible reasons.

Overall, as the NSO and UNICEF’s 1999 survey put it, of the 22.5M school-age children (5-17 years), an estimated 30% or 7.5M were out of school.

In FGD interviews conducted several years ago, many OSCYs cited financial and family reasons as causes for dropping out of school. Lack of financial resources vis-à-vis expensive school fees and/or prioritization of education for siblings were often cited. Negative influences were also more common among the 15-24 age group, with family conflicts, negative influence of peers, and parents’ neglect or favoritism (e.g., prioritizing the education of male children) as causes for dropping out of school. On the other hand, large family size also compelled the OSY to augment the family income, or do the housework while their parents sought employment. In some cases, parents themselves forced their children to quit school and find work instead. Those from single-parent families also felt pressure to contribute economically, especially if the sole wage earner becomes sick.

These same reasons were confirmed by out-of-school participants of the Regional Youth Summits. Poverty and the inaccessibility of education, coupled with personal and family problems forced them to quit school.

Reasons for Being an OSY

Reasons for Not Attending School FLEMMS 1994 NSO APIS 1999
Total OSY
(7-24 years) % Total OSY
(6-24 years) %
TOTAL PHILIPPINES 3,837,000 10,146,000
Schools are very far/no school within barangay 142,000 3.7 114,000 1.1
No regular transportation 19,000 0.2
High cost of education 718,000 18.7 2,118,000 20.9
Illness/Disability 218,000 5.7 252,000 2.5
Housekeeping 995,000 25.9 1,064,000 10.5
Employment/Looking for Work 515,000 13.4 2,725,000 26.8
Lack of personal interest 832,000 21.7 2,157,000 21.2
Cannot cope with school work 134,000 3.5 262,000 2.6

Unemployment

As NSO’s Labor Force survey in April 2001 shows, of the total unemployed 4.461M persons, 2.598M or 58% are those with ages 15-24. Many of these may well be OSY, especially if we note that the unemployment figures for those aged 15-19 more than doubled from 628,000 in January 2001 to 1.390M three months later.

The World Bank cites the following factors contributing to the rapid growth of the OSCY population in the Philippines: (1) persistent poverty; (2) worsened economic conditions resulting from the 1997 East Asian currency crisis and weather-pattern disturbances (El Niño, La Niña) that especially affected agriculture; (3) high population growth rate; (4) high drop-out rates; (5) poor absorption by the labor force; and, (6) unstable home environment.

Reproductive Health

According to the 1994 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality II (YAFS II) survey, adolescents with the lowest educational attainment and those out of school had the highest incidence of reproductive health problems. There were also more cases of youth with sexually transmitted diseases among the OSY. The YAFS II results also showed that the greater number (about 14.7%) of youth that were not aware of AIDS, were those with elementary education attainment only. (UPPI, 1994)

That the OSY are among the most vulnerable sections of the entire population is not only shown by the fact of their economic and social conditions, but by the various types of risks that they face on account of their plight. As the World Bank noted, “dropping out of school is often the first step in the decline toward the category of youth in special circumstances such as youth offenders, street children and child/youth soldiers” – a reality that many NGO advocates have seen for themselves all these years. (2001)

PROTECTION

Despite many laws, policies and programs that promote peace and order as well as explicitly support the right of the youth to be protected against all forms of discrimination, exploitation and abuse, young people remain extremely vulnerable to various forms of violence. For example, data from the Philippine National Police showed that the number of reported rape victims in the country reached 24,636 during the last decade. In 1999 alone, 3,164 cases were recorded by the PNP, and that most of the cases involved females aged 12 to 19. (HAIN, February 2000)

On the other hand, whether in education, health or employment, young women consistently experience discrimination. They are usually the first to give up schooling when their families are faced with financial problems. In the workplace, they generally receive less pay compared to their male counterparts; they are the last to be hired and the first to be fired, the last to be regularized or promoted, and the most prone to unwanted sexual advances from male superiors and co-workers. Young women also have the highest unmet reproductive health needs.

Among the different sub-sectors of youth, however, it is the Youth with Special Needs that is deemed requiring of special protection due to the extremely difficult conditions they face on account of dire poverty and social discrimination.

The results of the Regional Youth Summits conducted last September 2001 highlight the following top protection issues of the youth:

• Youth engaged in substance abuse
• Child abuse
• Child labor
• Children in conflict with the law
• Prostitution
• Increasing number of fraternities/sororities and hazing rites
• Pre-marital sex.

The table below presents the regions affected by the various issues expressed by the youth:

TOP PROTECTION ISSUES

ISSUE REGIONS AFFECTED TOTAL
1 Substance Abuse 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,
CAR, CARAGA, NCR 14
2 Child Abuse 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8,10,12, CAR,
CARAGA, NCR 12
3 Child Labor 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9,10,11,12, CAR, NCR 12
4 Children in Conflict with the Law 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9,11,12, CAR,
CARAGA, NCR 12
5 Prostitution 2, 4, 6, 8, 9,10,11,12, CARAGA, NCR 10
6 Fraternities / Sororities / Hazing 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9,10,12, CAR, NCR 10
7 Pre-Marital Sex 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9,10,11, CAR, NCR 10
8 Sexual harassment / Rape 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, CAR, NCR 8
9 Discrimination 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9,11,12 8
10 Gambling 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, CAR 7
11 Youth with Disabilities 1, 4, 6,10, CAR, CARAGA, NCR 7
12 Children in Armed Conflict 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, CARAGA 6
13 Gangsterism 2, 5, 6,12, CARAGA, NCR 6
14 Streetchildren 2, 5, 6, 8, 9,11 6
15 Indigenous Children 6, 9,10,11, CARAGA 5
16 Limited Information on Rights of Children 2, 9,11 3
17 Demolition in Urban Areas 5 1
18 Violence in Media 8 1

Details on the responses of the youth participants per issue and region can be seen in annex B.

Indigenous youth

Indigenous youth experience various forms of marginalization. They are forced into subsistence living and suffer from disease, malnutrition, high mortality rates and poor sanitation. The indigenous youth’s education needs “are not fully addressed by the formal school system...most schools are located in the lowlands [and] the structure of the public school system has not accommodated the economic activities of the tribes such as hunting, planting, sowing and harvesting. Thus, many indigenous youth are forced to drop out of school in order to help their families.” (NYC, 1998)

There are two vital issues raised by participants of the Regional Youth Summits concerning the indigenous youth. One issue mentioned the lack of opportunities for the youth in tribal communities. Youth representatives from Region 1, 4 and 6 expressed that youth from ethnic communities are not being given ample opportunities to reach their full potentials (e.g. education). Indigenous youth also live in poverty in the rural areas (6). The lack of opportunities for these youth results in their further discrimination and marginalization (3, 9, 10, CARAGA).

The second issue raised by the participants is the discrimination of the indigenous youth. Representatives from Region 3 maintain that some students from indigenous communities are being discriminated in the schools (3). Scholarship grants given to members of indigenous tribes are hardly accessible and are usually given through political endorsements. Scholarship grants are also minimal in proportion to the number of applicants (CAR). In the CAR region, there is also a marked discrimination among Cordillera women to the extent that the women would prefer to stay home rather than go to school (CAR). CAR youth participants also said that indigenous students are often “labeled”.

The Subanens of Zamboanga del Norte and Sur also experience severe discrimination (9). According to the accounts of the youth from Region 9, some Subanen women were raped by military officials and robbed of their food.

Youth from various regions also expressed a deep concern regarding the changes happening to their environment. The development of lands for industrial and mining purposes (e.g. the Zamboanga City Economic Zone and the continuous mining operations in some areas) displace indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands and pushes them to further marginalization and poverty (9). Youth participants from Region 11 further maintained that the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) is not properly implemented.

The issues of the indigenous youth were particularly articulated by Youth with Special Needs.

INDIGENOUS YOUTH REGIONS AFFECTED

Lack of opportunities (e.g. education) 1, 3, 4, 6, CAR
Subsistence living/poverty 6
Discrimination 3, 9, 10, CAR, CARAGA
Poor implementation of IPRA 11

Youth in Situations of Armed Conflict

A 1992 study by the Citizens’ Disaster Response Center (CDRC), estimated that children in situations of armed conflict (CSAC) – which included those aged 15-17 – made up 50% of the civilian population in war-torn places; 50,632 children were said to have been caught in war situations. For the period 1992-95, CDRC cited Mindanao as having had the most number of displaced families at 94,306 made up of the following regions: (NYC, 1998)

Summary of Cases of Displacement by Region: 1992-1995

Region Number of Displaced Families

12 (Central Mindanao) 32,378
ARMM 20,289
11 (Southern Mindanao) 16,972
9 (Western Mindanao) 16,179
10 (Northern Mindanao) 8,848

The same CDRC study indicated that “young victims of armed conflict belong to the poorest sector of Philippine society [and] armed conflict aggravates their situation of poverty, hunger, poor health, and meager education.” Many suffered from various diseases and psychological trauma, and as far back as 1992, at least, there were already reported cases of children being mobilized as couriers and child-soldiers.

In August 2000, the DSWD reported 38 cases of forcible recruitment involving 21 male and 17 female youth. Of these, only 13 had some elementary education, two had no schooling and only one claimed to have reached high school. The only available estimate of the total number of child-soldiers in the Philippines puts the number at about 50,000. (WB, 2001)

Participants of the Regional Youth Summits maintain that there is a rapid increase in the recruitment of children/youth by rebel groups. In Region 6, youth participants expressed that rebel groups enlist the services of children as young as 16 years old in their operations. Children and their families are given money in exchange for their services (6,9). Due to poverty, the children are forced to take the money and become part of the armed struggle. In Region 9, the youth are among suspected Abu Sayaf followers.

Wars have devastating effects on the lives of children (2, 6, 9,10,CAR). Youth participants in the CAR region narrate that due to armed conflicts in the Cordilleras, many of them are forced to stop going to school. Some were also forced to stop working. The war has damaged crops and properties and residents are forced to evacuate from their communities. Youth from the CAR region also said that they could not even go out of their homes due to the tribal wars in their communities (di makapasyal dahil sa tribal war).

In Region 9 situations of armed conflict have greatly distressed the children. Youth representatives from Basilan convey that they are traumatized when they see their relatives arrested by government troops because of mere suspicion of being members of the Abu Sayaf. The youth representatives in Region 3 were quick to add that the government has no long term program for the victims of war. There are also no existing rehabilitation centers for children in armed conflict (CAR).

The issues of Youth in Armed Conflict were particularly raised by the Youth with Special Needs in various regions.

YOUTH IN ARMED CONFLICT
REGIONS AFFECTED
Rapid recruitment of children by rebel groups 6, 9
Clan wars/ tribal wars / armed conflict CAR,10
Tribal wars affecting work and education 2, 6, CAR
Children cannot play/ go out because of tribal war CAR
Few student leaders involved in peace pact CAR
Children traumatized by war 9
No long term programs for victims of war 3

Youth with Disabilities

A 1997 report cited by the World Bank counted 500,000 Filipino children and youth – or 1% of the total child and youth population – as disabled. On the other hand, government figures are much lower: the 1995 Census on Housing and Population put the number of disabled youth aged 15-29 at 136,514 and that this even represented a decrease from 1990 figures of 165,564. The 1990 Census also showed that orthopedic handicap, mental retardation, mental illness, speech impairment and blindness were the top five disabilities plaguing the youth. (NYC, 1998)

Youth with disabilities are frequently discriminated, according to youth participants from Region 6, CARAGA and NCR. They are marginalized not only in the communities but also in the family. Youth with disabilities are not given the proper support, opportunities (e.g. education) and attention by the government (1, 4, 6, CAR). Facilities for differently-abled youth are lacking and inaccessible (10, CAR). The issues of youth with disabilities were primarily articulated by the Youth with Special Needs in several regions.

YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES REGIONS AFFECTED

Youth with disabilities are discriminated even in the family 6, CARAGA, NCR
Limited support / opportunities /attention 1, CAR
No clear programs for youth with disabilities (e.g. education) 4
Lack of facilities / inaccessibility of facilities 10, CAR

Young victims of natural disasters and calamities

While government has recorded the number of families affected by natural disasters and calamities over the years, there is no available data on the number of youth affected and the extent of damage inflicted on them

Children in Conflict with the Law

A delinquent youth is defined as a child “below 18 years old and who committed a misdemeanor but whose case is not filed in court.” There is no recent data on the delinquent youth, although some figures point to their increasing number. In 1989, there were 8,176 youth who entered the juvenile justice system; however, in the first quarter of 1997 alone, there were already 9,009 youth who had been provided with mediation and diversion measures by DSWD’s social workers. (NYC, 1998)

A youth offender is described as “a youth who is found guilty by the court of the commission of an offense after his ninth but before his eighteenth birthday, whether or not he is emancipated in accordance with law.” Youth offenders constitute an increasingly significant section of the total inmate population. (NYC, 1998) In June 1996, the Bureau of Corrections reported that out of a total of 18,353 inmates, 27.76% or 5,095 inmates came from the 19-24 age group. In 1997, the Parole and Probation Administration reported to have supervised 18,247 youth offenders, 41.56% of which committed crimes related to prohibited drugs. The DSWD, for its part, provided community and center-based rehabilitation services to 30,377 youth offenders from 1994-1997. The types of crimes commonly committed by youth offenders are crimes against property, crimes against persons and crimes against chastity.

Despite their growing number, the problems and needs of youth offenders were not effectively addressed for reasons such as lack of separate detention cells, meager subsistence allowance, lack of adequate program rehabilitation, and slow resolution of cases in court. For instance, in 1995, of the 232 young offenders interviewed by the Philippine Action for Youth Offenders, 79.8% were detained alongside adult offenders. In May 1997, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology had 1,148 jails without separate cells for youth offenders nationwide.

Results of the Regional Youth Summits show that juvenile delinquency and youth engaged in various crimes (e.g. rape, theft, robbery) are on the rise (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, CAR, CARAGA, NCR). Many issues have been articulated by the youth with regards to the situation of children in conflict with the law in the country today.

Youth from Region 3 believe that the Philippines have a poor justice system. This is evident in the improper handling of cases of children in conflict with the law (3, CAR, NCR). One issue raised by the youth in CAR and NCR is the lack of competent PAO lawyers to handle the cases of the children. Children who have committed crimes are also not informed of the status of their cases by their lawyers (CAR).

Children in the jails are being maltreated and abused according to CAR and NCR youth representatives. In the jails in CAR, youth offenders are used as masseurs (taga-masahe) or errand boys of adult inmates and jail guards. Some of them are even asked to wash the clothes of inmates (pinaglalaba ang mga preso) (CAR). If the children are new in the jail, they are hit 5 times by the inmates (pinapalo ng limang beses) as a form of initiation (CAR, NCR). Some children are also slapped with slippers and robbed of their clothes (hinuhubaran at kinukuha ang damit) (NCR). The children say that the social workers do not know that these things are happening to them in the jails because the social workers don’t really stay in the jails (NCR).

While congestion is a big problem in the jails, the lack of separate detention facilities for minors is also a cause for concern. Youth offenders in the jails in CAR are mixed with hardcore criminals because there are no appropriate centers for them. This is not good for the children because they learn vices and bad values from adult offenders.

CAR youth representatives said that there is also a lack of meaningful activities for incarcerated youth. Youth offenders inside jails often have nothing to do.

The lack of rehabilitation centers for juvenile delinquents and youth offenders is also an important issue for the youth in NCR. NCR youth believe that rehabilitation centers must be established to help youth offenders and juvenile delinquents to lead better lives.

Other issues raised by the youth with regards to the situation of youth offenders in the country are: a) the difficulty in looking for a job once you are released from prison (CAR); b) the legality of arrests done by the police (9); c) long periods of detention/rehabilitation (NCR) and d) the lack of follow up of the DSWD with regards to the suspension of sentence of children who have cases in court (CAR). The issues of children in conflict with the law were particularly raised by the Out-of-School Youth.

CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW REGIONS AFFECTED

Juvenile delinquents 5, 6, CARAGA
Youth engaged in crimes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, CAR, CARAGA, NCR
Poor justice system 3
Improper handling of cases of youth offenders (e.g. due to lack of PAO lawyers) 3, CAR, NCR
Youth offenders lumped together with adults in jails CAR
Legality of arrests (e.g. warrant less arrests) 9
Lack of rehab centers for juvenile delinquents NCR
Difficulty in looking for a job if you came from prison CAR
Long periods of detention/rehabilitation NCR
Lack of activities for inca