Chapters of the
SPPR 02:

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Preface

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The Youth: Our Responsibility and Our Hope

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Knowing and Understanding Our Youth

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Getting Concerned About the Reproductive Health Of Our Youth

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Rethinking and Enriching Our Youth Development Programs

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Programs and Projects for and by the Youth

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List of Tables and Figures

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List of SPPR2 Appendix Tables

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SPPR2 Appendix Tables

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List of Tables in the Statistical Annex

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Tables in the Statistical Annex

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End Notes

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Abbreviations and Acronyms

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Acknowledgement

State of the Philippine Population Report 2nd Edition [SPPR 02]

PINOY YOUTH:
Making Choices, Building Voices

Chapter 02:
Knowing and Understanding Our Youth

Do we know them?

Who they are? Where they are?

What they think? What they do?

What we know should tell us what to do.

Adults do not know how to communicate openly about sexuality with young people.

Media is playing a bigger role in the lives of our youth and fast becoming the main source of information and guide to “what is right” and “what is wrong.”

The Truths We Need To Know

What we know tells us what to do. But since we know little about our own young sons or daughters, we know less than little about the youth of this country. Since we are inclined to contribute to government and private sector efforts to promote their welfare, we need to know our youth to be able to understand their impact on the present and future economic and social development of the country.

Socio-Demographic profile

a) Size and Distribution

Our youth comprised 15.1 million out of the 76.5 million Filipinos enumerated in the 2000 Census. This number is expected to double in 33 years. Their proportionate share of the total population remains at 20 percent with an annual growth rate of 2.1 percent (Table 1).

There were more males than females; 102 males for every 100 females. The median age of the youth population remained the same from 1980 to 2000 at 20 years. This means that half of the youth population was between 15 to 19 years old, the other half was between 20 to 24.

Of the 16 regions in the country, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has the highest (22%) and Eastern Visayas has the lowest (18%) proportions of youth population (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Proportion of Youth to the Region’s Population: Philippines, 2000

Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing as cited in Ericta, 2003.

The 2002 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey reveals that almost three out of 10 of our youth belong to poor families. Among the 16 regions of the country, CARAGA has the highest incidence of youth belonging to poor families (54%). Next are Western Mindanao, Eastern Visayas and Bicol region (Figure 2). On the other hand, the greatest proportion of youth whose families are non-poor can be found in the NCR (98%) followed by Central Luzon (89%).

Figure 2: Percentage Distribution of Youth by Region and Income Stratum of Family (Lowest 40%), Philippines: 2002

Source: National Statistics Office, 2002 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey
Note: Families in the lowest 40% income group refers to the bottom 40 percent of the total families listed in descending order of family income. The upper 60% income group refers to the upper 60 percent of the total families in the income distribution.

Just over two-fifths (42%) of the youth are attending school with the highest percentage of school-attending youth found in the Cordillera Administrative Region (55%) and the lowest in Central Luzon (36%). The proportion of “idle” or those neither in-school nor working youth population in the Philippines, ranges from 16 percent (Northern Mindanao) to 29 percent (NCR), while three out of 10 of our young people are already working (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Percentage Distribution of Youth by School Status and Region, Philippines: 2003

Source: National Statistics Office, 2002 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey
Note: “Idle” means Not Attending School and Not Employed

The majority of out-of-school youth, who belong to the poor families, are found in ARMM, Eastern Visayas, CARAGA and Bicol1 (Appendix Table 4).

In terms of marital status, 77 percent or nearly four of every five young adult Filipinos have never been married. Young females (22%) are more likely to have ever been married than their male counterparts (8%), regardless of age (Figure 4). As expected, the proportion of ever-married young adults increases with age.

We also have a growing number of youth with disabilities as reported by Ericta6.

Figure 4: Percentage Distribution of Youth’s Marital Status by Sex: Philippines, 2002

Source: YAFS 3 as cited in Ogena and Berja, 2003

Figure 5: Differently Abled Youth Population by Type of Disability and Sex: Philippines, 2000

Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing as cited in Ericta, 2003

b) Literacy and Education

The 1994 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) showed that most of our youth (88%) possessed reading, writing and numeracy skills (Figure 6). They also exhibited the highest functional literacy rate among all age groups.

Figure 6: Functional Literacy Rate of Household Population 10-64 Years Old by Age Group, Philippines, 1994

Source: NSO, 1994 Functional Literacy Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) as cited in Ericta, 2003.

Based on the results of the Young Adults Fertility and Sexuality Survey (YAFS) done in 1994 and 2002, there was an increase in the proportion among those 15 to 19 years old who were “in-school” between 1994 (male 61.3%; female 63.9%) and 2002 (male 65.2%; female 71.7%) (Figure 7). This shows that our female youth have relatively higher educational attainment than our male youth. In fact, young females are more likely to have college education than males, regardless of age7. This may be because young males, especially in low-income families, are compelled to work to contribute to the household income.

Figure 7: Trends in School-Going Population 15-19 Years Old, Philippines: 1994 and 2002

Source: YAFS 2 and YAFS 3 as cited in Ogena and Berja, 2003.

Nearly three in 10 of our youth had some high school education, around one in five had completed elementary grades, nearly a fifth had a high school diploma, almost one-fifths were in college and about three percent completed tertiary education. A mere two percent had not completed any grade (Figure 8).

Figure 8: Educational Attainment of Population Aged 15-24 Years: Philippines, 2000

Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing as cited in Ericta, 2003.

c) Labor Force Participation

In 2002, the youth comprised one-third of the 45.3 million working age population (15-64 years old)6. About half of them were already in the labor force, either employed or still looking for work (unemployed).

Figure 9: Youth Labor Force Participation Rate: Philippines 1997-2002.

Source: NSO, Third Quarter Labor Force Surveys as cited in Ericta, 2003.

This is a drop from the 2001 figure of 52%, the highest labor force participation rate or LFPR in five years.

The working youth accounted for 20 percent of the total number of employed persons. On the other hand, 1.48 million or nearly half (47%) of the 3.13 million unemployed persons in the country in 2002 were youths, indicating the lack of job opportunities for the young entrants to the labor force6. Unemployment rate of the youth has gradually increased for the past six years (Figure 10).

Figure 10: Unemployment Rate of Youth for the Past Six Year

Source: NSO, Third Quarter Labor Force Surveys as cited in Ericta, 2003.

Young women registered a lower labor force participation rate or LFPR (38%) than young men (58.7%). This gender disparity is more pronounced in the rural areas, where young women’s LFPR was 35 percent as against young men’s LFPR of 64 percent6.

The October round of the Labor Force Survey (2002) shows that unemployment rates among the youth were higher in urban areas than in rural areas. Almost three in 10 urban males and more than one in 10 rural males were unemployed6 (Figure 11).

Figure 11: Percentage Distribution of Youth Labor Force Characteristic by Sex, Urban and Rural: October 2002

Source: NSO, Labor Force Survey as cited in Ericta, 2003.

There is also an observed increase in youth’s participation in overseas work particularly for young females6.

Social Environment

The social environment is critical to healthy youth development, as this comprises the sources of signals to youth values and behavior8.

The institutions in the adolescents’ social environment, namely the family, the school and the church, teach them the values and patterns of behavior acceptable to the communities to which they belong and influence their attitudes and behavior8.

a) Family

The family as the primary agent for socialization carries the ultimate responsibility for the well being of our children. More than eight out of 10 youth are raised by both natural father and mother. Eight percent are being raised by one parent, three percent by one parent with a partner, and six percent by other people8.

However, more and more young people are passing through the transition from childhood to adulthood not under the care of both parents, either because of work or a change in their family situation, brought about by either separation or death. The YAFS 3 found that 17 percent of young people were not raised by both parents, which is a slight increase from the 1994 data of 16 percent.

Interestingly, a lower proportion of “idle” youth, or those not working nor studying, were raised by both parents. The proportions of other arrangements like being raised by one parent alone, one parent with a partner and other people, in turn, are more elevated in the “idle” youth group8.

Over three fourths of young people have parents still living together. However, even in homes where both parents are present, children receive little or no attention from parents or elders and there is minimal interaction in the family, leaving children alone to develop a set of values different from their elders.

In terms of living arrangements, an analysis of the YAFS 3 showed that living with both parents is considered protective against risks. However, four out of nine (44%) have experienced living away from home and are increasingly doing so. More females (52%) than males (42%) live away from home. In addition, more females live away from home at a younger age than males with almost two-fifths of females living away from home at age 15-19 compared to only 30 percent among the males.

The early living away from home pattern for young females may be explained by (1) the greater proportion of young women who pursue college education in universities mostly located in cities and (2) the increasing demand for young women in both local and international labor markets. Living away from home increases when youth leave school; while the proportion of youth living with parents decreases with age7.

It would be ideal for families and parents to be the primary source of information about sex. But parents are perceived to be very strict and think that by not discussing sex; the subject will not enter the minds of their children. Parents are reported to be uncomfortable discussing sex with their children. The number of adolescents learning about sex from parents is small; only 10 percent freely discuss sex with their parents9.

b) School

The school is the socialization agent next to family. Both the YAFS 2 and YAFS 3 reveal that more than 60 percent are in school. Further, Raymundo (2003) found that almost seven out of 10 of those in school are in public high schools, an increase from the 1994 figures. This reveals the importance therefore of public schools as venues for youth development interventions.

School offenses are committed by the youth causing suspension for 10 percent of them. There are indications that suspensions could have caused their leaving school since larger proportions of those who are no longer in school had suspension experiences. As expected, more boys are being suspended from school than girls8.

The proximal socializing agent to convey norms and prohibitions is the school. Positive school experience can compensate for the antisocial influence of family and community. It is noted that academic achievement, aspiration and learning focused environment have deterrent effects on deviant outcomes: dropping out, early pregnancy, criminal activities, criminal conviction, anti-social personality, and alcohol abuse. It is suggested that schools may also be used for public health education11.

In fact, in earlier periods, studies on the youth’s knowledge of sex focused on their awareness of family planning and related items learned from population education. In the 1982 YAFS, a high proportion of respondents (84%) reported receiving family planning instruction from their population education classes12.

c) Friends

Peers increasingly constitute an important element in the social environment of adolescents. An adolescent has an average of five close friends with whom they do their fun activities, confide in and hang around. Boys keep a slightly wider circle of friends than girls8.

The YAFS 3 data reports that influence of peers extends to practically everything: attitude, speech, interest, appearance and behavior. This is found strongest during early adolescence – and manifested by acceptance and giving in to pressure to try alcohol or drugs. There is a high likelihood of smoking among those who frequently attend socials and–“barkada” activities. Half of the females and males learned about sex from friends of the same sex.

Our young people talk about their sexual activities with friends. Around four in 10 know that some of their friends are engaging in premarital sex (PMS), which adults may find unacceptable given their young age. This is found to be true for 56 percent of the boys and 31 percent of the girls. In fact, those who reported that they have friends who are engaging in PMS are also more likely to engage in sex themselves8.

“Barkada” life during adolescence is associated with trial and error learning and experimentation. Friends and peers are among the youth’s primary source of information about sex.

Agencies involved in the promotion of reproductive health, however, are concerned that sex information from friends may not only be inaccurate but may also lead adolescents to risky sexual behavior.

d) Media

Media is increasingly getting more space in the lives of our youth. It is sad to note that they give more time to the less wholesome content of television, films, magazines, tabloids, etc.

The McCann-Erickson study (2000)13 found that the media has become the source of authority regarding what is right, what is wrong, what is important. This finding is supported by the YAFS 3, which reported mass media as the new surrogate parent.

Media today is more expansive, has more variety in form and content, and more accessible especially to our youth. TV viewership is high among them. They spend about eight to 14 hours per week watching TV.

The Internet is a medium used by six percent of the youth with no difference between males and females. The Internet creates a technological divide. Only one in five have ever used the Internet in 2002 (YAFS 3). Those in school, however, are more in the net than other groups. Eight percent use it regularly; with more female than male users (8% vs. 7%); and its use is more pronounced in urban settings.

Youth from the NCR tops the use of Internet (15%). Central Mindanao registers the least use of this facility (4%).

YAFS 3 data show that a significant proportion of our youth, particularly boys, are exposed to pornographic materials through mass media. Pornographic reading materials and x-rated films are forms of media increasingly being used by young people: a majority (55%) have watched x-rated films. This is especially high among males (76%), the older adolescents (64%) and those who are working (63%).

Exposure to pornographic materials increases with age, with the males more likely to be exposed. Pornographic materials are viewed more than read. Only 39 percent read pornographic materials with males more into the practice7. NCR youth show highest prevalence of exposure to pornography: 69 percent have been exposed to xrated materials; while 49 percent have read printed pornographic literature.

e) Church

Almost eight out of 10 young Filipinos are Catholic with slightly more females than males belonging to other religions7.

The subject of religion is crucial because it is during adolescence that most young people start questioning the religious beliefs and traditional practices of their childhood. Contrary to popular opinion, religion is actually one of the more important issues that adolescents are interested in and deal with today.

Because of this, adolescence has sometimes been called “the period of religious doubt.” Wagner (1978) as cited in Hurlock (1982)14, however, argues that this religious doubt should actually be seen as more of a “religious questioning.” He says: “Youngsters want to learn their religion on an intellectual basis rather than by blind acceptance. They question religion not because they want to be agnostic or atheistic, but because they want to accept religion in a way that is meaningful to them.”

For some of our youth, this religious questioning may result in an attempt to find a faith that meets their needs better than the one they are currently in, or more commonly, in a lessening of religious observances. For example, as a result of their disillusionment with organized religion, it is not uncommon for them to begin to minimize their participation in and practice of prayer and formal church rituals. In fact, it has been observed that the youth of today attend church or religious activities far less than young people of previous generations.

One study conducted among Filipino youths showed that girls, in particular, were more likely to abstain from sex because of their religious beliefs. US studies of adolescents showed that greater religiosity is associated with delaying the onset of sexual intercourse and a lower likelihood of voluntary sexual activity.

f) Government

Government and non-government organizations (NGOs), due to their wider reach and resources, provide one of the most important avenues for improvement of the situation of youth. Such improvements range from reassessing existing laws to the creation of better health facilities, educational incentives, employment opportunities and youth reproductive health programs.

Though lacking specific laws for adolescent reproductive health care, the Philippines has been acknowledged for trailblazing approaches which include promotion of good health development skills and encouragement of youth participation in various programs.

This project was made possible with the funding assistance of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).