Fertility and Family Time Allocation in the Philippines

Abstract

Data from the 1983-84 Cebu Health and Nutritional Survey and follow-ups were used in this study of time allocation by family type in the Philippines. The data pertain to Cebu City and surrounding provincial areas. The sample included 3080 mothers with a live birth in nuclear families. Time allocation data were available at baseline and 2 6 and 14 months postnatally. The baseline sample included 282 households with no children prior to the birth of the sample child 790 households with only young children prior to the birth 775 households with both young and older children prior to the birth and 138 households with only older children prior to the birth. Mothers provided 84% of the total time spent on child care. The average total hours worked per week for first-time mothers more than doubled after the birth. Labor market hours declined after the birth and increased as the child aged but not to the same level as prenatally by 14 months postnatally. Housework time remained stable over the four time periods. Average total work hours for mothers with children prior to the birth of the sample child were about the same as for first-time mothers after the birth. Average time spent in child care increased for mothers with small children by 10 hours/week and leisure time and work time each decreased by 5 hours/week. Mothers with small children worked more hours than first-time mothers. Differences between mothers with small children and first-time mothers were greatest before the birth and at 14 months postnatally. Fathers did not increase their work time after the childs birth to compensate for mothers loss of work time. Fathers time spent on child care increased if there were other small children. Older daughters spent a significant amount of time on child care and the time spent complemented mothers time spent. Additional time spent in child care differed by household type. Economies of scale were affected by birth spacing.