Filipino Households Research Articles

Diversity and change in Filipino households, 1990–2015

ABSTRACT Using census and survey data, this study documents the changes in household size and structure in the Philippines from 1990 to 2015 and explores how demographic and socioeconomic factors have played a role in these changes. It also describes the living arrangements of Filipino children and young adults, recently married young women, and older people, to examine how demographic and socioeconomic factors modify the immediate social environment of Filipinos across their life course. Results show that contrary to the predictions of the modernisation hypothesis, the share of nuclear households in the Philippines declined, while the proportion of extended households remained stable over time. In addition, most Filipino children still live with both parents. However, the proportion in this arrangement declined recently, while the share who live with a single parent or neither parent increased. There is also a prolonged parental co-residence after marriage, as evidenced by the higher proportion of newly married women living with their parents or parents-in-law compared to women in the past. Finally, living with children is still very common among older Filipinos, but the share who do so has dropped sharply. In contrast, the proportions living alone or with a spouse only have increased over time.

Navigating the New Normal: An in-Depth Study of Adaptation and Change in Filipino Family Structures Postpandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an unparalleled challenge to Filipino family structures, necessitating swift adaptations and transformations to navigate the “new normal.” Through semistructured interviews and focus group discussions, this study engaged with diverse Filipino families across different socioeconomic backgrounds and cultural contexts. The findings revealed key insights into the ways in which Filipino family structures have adapted and evolved in response to the challenges posed by the pandemic: (a) reshaping familial roles and responsibilities; (b) enhanced communication patterns; and (c) resilience and solidarity. These findings illuminated the resilience, adaptability, and strength of Filipino family structures in the face of adversity. They underscored the importance of understanding the intricate changes taking place within these families and offer insights for policymakers, educators, and support systems aiming to address the evolving needs of Filipino households in the postpandemic world.

Measuring Housing Affordability in the Philippines

This study evaluates housing affordability using other methods beyond the standard 30 percent income benchmark. By employing the Housing Affordability Index, which considers median family income and average housing prices, the authors find that most Filipino households are income-constrained in purchasing homes. Using the residual income method alongside the 30 percent income standard reveals that the latter overestimates affordability for poorer households, with housing stress particularly evident among low-income groups. The study highlights that socialized and economic housing projects are increasingly situated on the urban fringes, limiting housing options for low- and middle-income households in cities. With residential prices outpacing income growth, the government faces two key objectives: improving housing conditions for poor and vulnerable households and curbing speculative increases in property prices. Proposed solutions include innovative housing interventions and regulatory measures to control property market speculation and ensure affordability.

The Consumption, Production, Trade and Challenges of the Tea Industry in the Philippines

Tea is a popular drink highly valued for its health benefits. Interestingly, within the Filipino household, it is often regarded as an herbal remedy instead of a lifestyle drink to be consumed at leisure. However, in recent years, tea consumption has undergone a transformation swiftly evolving from a remedy to a lifestyle choice. This rising trend sets a strong foundation for the industry's future growth in the Philippines. In 2020, the Philippines ranked 69th globally with tea imports aggregating $17 million. In the same year, tea ranked 516th among the country’s most imported products. The Philippines struggles to produce tea on a large scale due to factors such as climate, inadequate infrastructure, and soil acidity. However, the government is undeterred in its efforts to nurture and cultivate the tea industry and aims to support the industry's development trajectory and tackle the funding challenges that accompany research and development endeavors, particularly in the oolong tea market. The increasing demand, especially among the younger population, along with the efforts of the government and private sector to enhance production and develop the industry, have contributed to its potential. This will enable the Philippines to carve out a niche in the global tea market.

Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Expenditure on Health: Evidence from the Regions in the Philippines

This study estimates Filipino’s catastrophic and impoverishing out-of-pocket (OOP) healthcare expenditures on a regional perspective to measure the effectiveness and progress of Philippines’ healthcare financing system in ensuring population protection from excessive and unequal healthcare costs. Observations are drawn from the most recent household-based survey in the Philippines, 2018 and 2021 Family Income and Expenditure Survey, and grouped by four major regions: National Capital Region, the rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao region. From 2018 to 2021, results showed that the distribution of catastrophic OOP healthcare expenditures decreases while depth of these payments increases across the four major regions. The highest incidences of these catastrophic payments were found in the rest of Luzon and Visayas regions, while the highest intensities were found in Mindanao region. Despite medicines and pharmaceuticals products dominance on OOP healthcare expenditures, payment on inpatient medical services drives the catastrophic expenditures of households. Aside, deepening poverty caused by healthcare payments were more evident in households residing in Mindanao regions, thus exposing this Filipino families to financial risk and poverty threats. Logistic regression analysis showed that aging households head, employment, and socio-economic status are significant and common factors affecting the likelihood of incurring excessive health expenditures across the regions. The risk of catastrophic and impoverishing effects of healthcare expenditures persists in the country. Low levels of catastrophic OOP healthcare expenditures may indicate that disadvantaged households focused on spending on basic necessities and struggle to afford healthcare due to high costs amid COVID 19, leading to foregone treatment. Thus, continuous implementation of fair and innovative ways of financing the healthcare system to reduce the financial burden of OOP payments on Filipino households is recommended.

Satisfaction Level of the Beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P’s)

Poverty is the most serious issue in the Philippines. The Philippine government’s response to the Millennium Development ans Sustainable Development Goals (?) of alleviating poverty worldwide is to provide cash assistance to Filipino households living below the poverty line. This financial assistance is an avenue for immediately responding to people’s needs, particularly in health and education; it is known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps in the Philippines. It aims to reduce poverty in the Philippines by investing in health and education, particularly for children aged 0 to 18. This research aims to assess the level of satisfaction of 4Ps beneficiaries with the cash grant they received from the government to cover their daily and other expenses. This research used the quantitative research design and the study was conducted in Nueva Ecija which covers 27 municipalities through an online survey. The researcher uses convenience sampling to identify the sample populating of Rao Soft calculator. The data collected from the locale were encoded, tallied, and analyzed. Statistical tools such as Percentage, Frequency Distribution, Weighted Mean, and Pearson R were used in analyzing the data gathered. According to the findings, beneficiaries are very satisfied with using their cash grants for educational purposes. It also shows that aside from education, food is the expense that the cash grants that were being misappropriated. Lastly, it is highly recommended that the beneficiaries be engaged in other worthwhile activities to be given by the local government unit for them to grow their money, so there would be no misappropriation in using the cash grants.

Philippine Journal of Development 2024, No. 1

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Philippine Journal of Development. The first semester issue celebrates this milestone with articles on critical topics, such as financial inclusion, housing affordability, free trade agreements, and local governance. The first article examines financial inclusion in the Philippines using probit regressions on microdata from the World Bank’s 2021 Global Findex Database. It identifies positive correlations between financial inclusion and factors like education and income, with notable disparities in technology access. Barriers such as high costs and the lack of trust in financial institutions disproportionately affect lower-income Filipinos. The second article evaluates housing affordability using other methods than the traditional income benchmark, revealing constraints faced by Filipino households. It discusses the spatial challenges of socialized housing and the need for regulatory measures to manage property market speculation. The third article explores the impact of trade agreements through text-of-trade analysis, demonstrating how these agreements influence trade dynamics. The last article examines the evolution of the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), highlighting its adaptive role in enhancing local governance standards amid evolving national priorities and policy shifts. The study proposes reforms to improve the SGLG’s effectiveness in promoting good governance.

Economic burden of acute myeloid leukemia on patients in a resource-limited tertiary hospital in the Philippines

IntroductionThe remission induction treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has remained unchanged in the resource-limited setting in the Philippines. AML treatment consists of induction chemotherapy followed by high dose consolidation chemotherapy or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In the Philippines, the Filipino household bears the burden of health care cost of hospitalization expenditure. Insights into the treatment costs becomes an essential requirement as these guides the allocation of resources to scheme health programs. MethodThis study involved a retrospective cohort analysis of AML patients who underwent treatment for AML. Review of the statements of account per admission per patient during treatment for remission induction, consolidation, relapsed and refractory disease and best supportive care from 2017 to 2019. Of the 251 eligible patients, 190 patients were included. ResultThe mean healthcare expenditure for remission induction chemotherapy (Phase 1) was US $2, 504.78 (Php 125,239.29). While 3 to 4 cycles of consolidation chemotherapy cost an average of US $3,222.72 (Php 162,103.20). For patients who had relapsed and refractory disease, an additional mean cost of US $3,163.32 (Php 159,115.28) and US $2, 914.72 (Php 146,610.55) were incurred, respectively. The average cost of palliative care was US $1,687.00 (Php 84,856.59). ConclusionThe cost of chemotherapy and other therapeutics bear most of the weight of the direct healthcare cost. The cost of AML treatment represents a significant economic burden for patients and the institution. The cost increases as patients proceed through subsequent lines of treatment for induction failure. Existing subsidy for health insurance benefits could still be improved for appropriate source allocation of resources.

Does plate waste matter?: A two-stage cluster survey to assess the household plate waste in the Philippines

BackgroundPlate waste is an urgent global public health problem. Gaining better knowledge of the quantity and patterns of plate waste among households may give critical insights into resolving the greater problem of unnecessary plate waste. The study was conducted to determine the amount of plate wastage across food security levels of households and evaluate possible factors associated with plate waste.MethodsThis investigation analyzed the data from the 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Survey. Food weighing, food inventory, and food recall were the methods used to collect household food consumption and plate waste. Household Food Insecurity Access Scale was used to identify levels of food security among households.ResultsThe present study has revealed that the average household plate waste of rice was 49.6 g ± 4.7; meat, fish, & poultry was 7.5 g ± 0.5; and vegetable was 6.7 g ± 0.3. Rice (58%), vegetables (18%), and meat (9%) were the top 3 most wasted foods among Filipino households. Test showed that there was a significant difference in the wastage of rice (p < 0.001), corn (p < 0.001), vegetables (p < 0.05), fish (p < 0.001), meat (p < 0.001), and fats and oils (p = 0.001) across household food security levels. Households with the highest consumption of rice was 1.24 (CI: 1.06 – 1.46) times more likely to have rice waste compared to those households with the lowest consumption. Households with a female household head was 0.82 (CI: 0.78 – 0.87) times less likely to have plate waste of rice and rice products compared to those with male household head. The odds of rice wasting of household in urban areas was 0.83 (CI: 0.77 – 0.89) times higher in contrast to rural areas. The odds of rice wasting was 1.38 (CI: 1.15 – 1.66) times higher for households in the rich quintile compared to the poorest quintile. Household with highest vegetable consumption were 3.56 (CI: 2.51 – 5.03) times more likely to have vegetable waste compared to those with the lowest consumption. Households with 5 members were 1.13 (CI: 1.01 – 1.27) times more likely to have vegetable waste. The odds of wasting vegetables was 1.50 (CI: 1.14–1.97) times greater among households in the richest quintile compared in the poorest quintile. Families with the highest fish, meat & poultry consumption was 1.38 (CI: 1.01 – 1.91) times more likely of having fish, meat & poultry waste than households with lowest consumption. Fish, meat, and poultry plate waste was 0.81 (CI: 0.68 – 0.96) times less likely in households with 5 members or less than in households with more than 5 members. Compared to households in the lowest quintile, those in the middle quintile were 1.55 (CI: 1.01 – 2.38) times more likely to throw away fish, meat, and poultry. The odds of wasting fish, meat, and poultry was 2.26 (CI: 1.35 – 3.79) times higher for those in the richest than those in the poorest quintile.ConclusionsFindings suggest that plate waste is indeed a public health problem that should be addressed. Future research studies should explore the nutrient losses that might stem from plate wastage in order to have a more accurate approach when it comes to the development of strategies and interventions aimed at reducing household plate waste.

Healthcare: Is it a Business or a Profession?

Thus, the question of medicine being a profession or a business arises.&nbsp;The share of health expenditure in the GDP of the Philippines is 5.6%; health spending of Filipino household has been increasing recently, mostly spent for drugs and other medical goods. Could this be one of the reasons why more businessmen engage in building and operating a hospital?&nbsp; And some doctors turning to become health entrepreneurs too?

Development of a low-cost dispenser-type water filtration system

Water has always been one of the most significant utilities for humans because of its wide array of applications. The economic impact of the scarcity of supply to clean water for consumption in emergent nations like the Philippines, where a large proportion of the people suffer from water-related diseases due to scarcity of supply to clean water consumption. There is the proliferation of water refilling stations in the Philippines and the proportion of Filipino households relying on commercial water has been escalating but not everybody can adapt to this lifestyle. Another problem identified is, not every place has the access to such system like the communities living on the islands and near the shorelines. The low-cost dispenser-type water filtration system (LCDTWFS) developed will provide readily safe drinking water in the household. The equipment is made up of clay and has a volume capacity of 10 L. The clay used for filter fabrication has no harmful elements and no effect on the filtered water when used as a ceramic filter. The quality of the tap water was significantly improved after passing it through the LCDTWFS. The equipment was tested for 6 consecutive weeks after which, the characteristic of the filtered water is still within the standards of the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW). The bacteriological/microbiological, chemical, and physical characteristics of the filtered water are within the allowable limits of the PNSDW making it potable and safe for consumption. LCDTWFS is effective yet affordable since it has no electricity requirements, is sustainable, environment-friendly, easily manipulated, and easily produced by local craftsmen. This study can also contribute to the prosperity of rural potters since introducing this newly innovated product could be their source of additional income. • Low-cost dispenser-type water filtration system (LCDTWFS) is effective. • LCDTWFS is made of clay and with a volume capacity of 10 L. • The clay used for filter fabrication has no harmful elements. • The quality of the tap water was significantly improved using the LCDTWFS. • Filtered water is within the Philippine National Standard for Drinking Water.

Insights on inflation expectations in the Philippines from a household survey

The study contributes to the literature on expectations by providing insights on household expectations from an emerging market and inflation targeting country like the Philippines. Using the results of the Consumer Expectations Survey (CES), a quarterly household survey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the study is the first to look at the characteristics and determinants of household inflation expectations in the Philippines at a granular level. Results show that survey-based household expectations in the country are not rational. Filipino households exhibit an upward bias in their forecast of future inflation and they tend to rely more on information about past inflation to form their expectations. Nonetheless, in recent years, households have started to incorporate information about future outcomes in their inflation expectations process. To determine the factors that drive household expectations in the Philippines, aggregated (i.e., time series) and disaggregated (i.e., pooled data) data from CES quarterly survey rounds between 2010 and 2020 are used on a standard inflation expectations model. Empirical results point to a significant effect of income conditions, perceptions on economic and financial conditions, the inflation target, and demographic factors (e.g., educational attainment, marital status) on the formation of household expectations in the Philippines. Based on the findings and observations, the study draws insights for central bank communication strategy, particularly in influencing household expectations.

Estimating food demand and the impact of market shocks on food expenditures: The case for the Philippines and missing price data

Abstract This study uses the Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System to estimate food demand among Filipino households. Our study uses the recently released 2018 Family Income and Expenditure Survey and the Stone-Lewbel price index in the absence of price data on food groups. Results show that demand for rice with respect to prices and expenditures is relatively inelastic compared with that for other food groups. The income elasticity for rice is inelastic (0.26), slightly higher than the income elasticity for sugar. Demand for rice is generally less elastic for higher-income Filipinos and families residing in urban areas than for their counterparts. The findings reveal that, in the short term, a 15 per cent decrease in income or a 20 per cent increase in rice prices induces families to spend more of their income on rice at the expense of other cereals, meat, fish, and other food groups. Income and rice price shocks have differential impacts on low-income and high-income Filipino families. Policymakers may be able to moderate the food price impacts of market shocks through targeted interventions and programs that improve the accessibility to and availability of quality agri-fishery products.

Structural shifts in food basket composition of rural and urban Philippines: Implications for the food supply system.

Empirical evidence on the responsiveness and sensitivities of food consumption to its drivers is vital for conducting economic studies. Despite recent attempts to provide such estimates, much empirical work remains to be done considering the prevailing shifts in consumption trends in the Philippines. Price and expenditure elasticities are estimated for seven food categories for rural and urban Filipino households, using Stone-Lewbel (SL) price indices and the quadratic almost-ideal demand system (QUAIDS) model. We used multiple years (2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2018) of the Philippines Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) to estimate the food demand system. The results show that rice is a normal good for most households, particularly for rural consumers. However, it is an inferior good for the top 30% of rural Filipinos and the top 40% of urban Filipinos. As income increases, such wealthy households tend to replace their rice-dominated diet with nutrient-dense food products. Female-headed households, younger households, and households with educated members consume significantly more animal proteins such as meat and dairy products.

Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on Household Food Security and Access to Social Protection Programs in the Philippines: Findings From a Telephone Rapid Nutrition Assessment Survey.

This study assessed the status and factors that affected the food security of Filipino households and their access to social protection programs and coping mechanisms during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the Philippines. A rapid nutrition assessment survey through telephone interview was conducted on November 3 to December 3, 2020, among households covered in the 2019 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) to compare the status of household food security before and during the pandemic. A total of 9 provinces and highly urbanized areas were selected as study sites based on risk to COVID-19 infection categorized as low, medium, and high. A total of 5717 households with contact numbers participated in the study. Results showed that almost two-thirds (62.1%) of the households experienced moderate to severe food insecurity when strict community quarantines started. The increase in the proportion of moderate to severe food insecurity was higher in the low- and medium-risk areas of COVID-19 infection than in high-risk areas (P < .05). The poorest households were 1.7 times more likely to become moderate to severely food insecure compared to middle-income households. No money to buy food (22.1%) was the top concern of food-insecure households. Purchasing food on credit, borrowing food from family, and loans from relatives and friends are the top coping strategies of food-insecure households. The results imply the need to extend assistance equitably to households and areas with fewer resources and minimal or no benefactors.

Association of household food security and dietary diversity of mother-child pairs in the Philippines

Introduction: The majority of Filipino households experience food insecurity. Mothers and children are among the population groups suffering from poor diet quality. This study aimed to determine the extent of the association of household food security (HFS) to mothers’ and children’s dietary diversity score (DDS), and to identify the significant factors associated with meeting the DDS of these vulnerable groups. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional, population-based study utilising secondary data from the 2015 Updating Survey. From a total of 6,692 mother-child pairs, the association between HFS and meeting the DDS of mothers and children, as well as the potential predictors for meeting the DDS were tested using descriptive and logistic regression analyses. Results: The findings showed that HFS was significantly associated with meeting the DDS of mothers and children aged 6-36 months (p&lt;0.001). The proportion of meeting the DDS among mothers and children was significantly higher in food-secure than in food-insecure households (20.7% vs. 14.4%). Furthermore, meeting the DDS decreased with increasing levels of food insecurity. Household food security status, education background, employment, child’s age, and wealth status were significantly associated with meeting the DDS. Conclusion: This study showed the extent of how food security was associated with meeting the DDS of mothers, children, and mother-child pairs, and the factors associated with meeting the DDS. Results can be used to strengthen the formulation of appropriate, evidence-based policies to address household food insecurity and low DDS among mothers and young children.

Development and characterization of the nutritional profile and microbial safety of rice-nixtamalized corn grits blends as potential alternative staple for household consumption

The nutritional composition of corn is relatively insufficient to sustain human growth and development. This study developed and characterized rice-nixtamalized corn blends to enhance the nutritional quality of rice-corn composites geared towards household consumption. Corn kernels of two Philippine corn varieties, IPB Var 6 (VK) and Lagkitan (LK), were nixtamalized using ecological method, processed into corn grits, and blended with locally available rice Sinandomeng. Out of the six rice-nixtamalized corn grits blends developed, three blends (30% VK, 70% LK, and 50% VK) were considered most acceptable based on sensory evaluation of consumer panelists. The blends required 210−290 mL cooking water and 20−25 minutes of cooking time. Microbial analysis showed that the blends had <1.0 × 103 cfu/g yeast and mold count (YMC) after two months of storage in a dry place at ambient conditions, indicating food safety upon common short-term storage in a typical Filipino household. Both the IPB Var 6 and Lagkitan blends exhibited significant increase in calcium (2- to 3-folds), iron (4- to 7-folds), zinc, (1- to 2-folds), and phosphorus (1- to 2-folds) as compared to rice alone. Consuming 100 grams of the developed rice-nixtamalized corn grits blends can achieve an average healthy adult's daily calcium requirement by 4%, iron requirement by 7%, and as high as 35% zinc requirement.

A behavioral decomposition of willingness to pay for health insurance

Despite widespread exposure to substantial medical expenditure risk in low-income populations, health insurance enrollment is typically low. This is puzzling from the perspective of expected utility theory. To help explain it, this paper introduces a decomposition of the stated willingness to pay (WTP) for insurance into its fair price and three behavioral deviations from that price due to risk perception and risk attitude consistent with prospect theory, plus a residual. To apply this approach, we elicit WTP, subjective distributions of medical expenditures and risk attitude (utility curvature and probability weighting) from Filipino households in a nationwide survey. We find that the mean stated WTP of the uninsured is less than both the actuarially fair price and the subsidized price at which public insurance is offered. This is not explained by downwardly biased beliefs: both the mean and the median subjective expectation are greater than the subsidized price. Convex utility in the domain of losses pushes mean WTP below the fair price and the subsidized price, and the transformation of probabilities into decision weights depresses the mean further, at least using one of two specific decompositions. WTP is reduced further by factors other than risk perception and attitude.

Understanding Poverty in Samar, Philippines: A Sociological Perspective

Poverty in the Philippines remains a challenge. In a recent nationwide self-rated survey of the Social Weather Station, more Filipino households consider themselves poor despite the positive feedback on one of the government’s poverty alleviation programs, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4PS). This qualitative study utilized a phenomenological approach to explore the reasons behind this claim. It explored the experiences of poverty from the lower class status, particularly the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries. The study revealed that norms and practices in the family might contribute to their claim of poverty, such as poor lifestyle choices, difficulty prioritizing needs, lack of parenting style, and extended family. Parents’ low education and lack of financial literacy are seen as another factor of poverty. Likewise, religion plays a part in responding to poverty. Participants assert that there is psychological comfort in experiencing poverty because of their religious convictions. Thus, it can be reasoned that sociological factors can affect poverty.

Embracing the Elderly Affections: Understanding the Lived Experiences Among Filipino Children Raised by Custodial Grandparents

A child's growth and development correspond with the guidance of the adults. Not only do parents take on full responsibility, but it has also passed on to the hands of their grandparents, commonly in Filipino household traditions. In this regard, this paper discusses providing a clear understanding of the lived experiences of Filipino Grandchildren in the Philippines concerning their adaptation and struggles. This qualitative study utilized the phenomenological approach to fully understand the lived experiences and perceptions of the participants, specifically the Filipino Grandchildren relative to the central question of ?What are the common traits of Filipino children raised by grandparents situated in the Philippines?? The necessary set of data was obtained in a forty-three (43) semi-structured interview and formulated themes from the participants? responses. Findings have shown the developmental stages and learnings of the Filipino grandchildren. It is composed of four major themes namely: Deepening Relations, Challenging Ordeals, Advancing Stages, and Enlightening Guidance. The rising number of grandparent care promulgates its distinct features and knowledge in the provision of their grandchildren. It has abruptly led to a significance of the familial tradition of the Filipinos. To build up the spaces, this paper suggests the future researchers to further expand and diversify the selection of participants to collect an all-inclusive verbalization of their lived experiences. Furthermore, to conduct further analysis on how the pandemic (COVID-19) impacts the Filipino grandchildren-grandparents family relations.