On the issue of women’s health

According to the statistics, for every 100,000 live births in the Philippines, 162 women die during pregnancy and childbirth or shortly after childbirth. The sad fact is that the causes of these deaths are “preventable,” according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

According to the 1998 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), there is a slight decrease in maternal mortality ratio, compared to the data from 1993. From 209 maternal deaths in 1993, the Department of Health (DoH) recorded only 172 in 1998.

On one hand, in 2006, six out of every 10 women 15-49 years old were at risk of conceiving a child with an elevated risk of mortality. These women were considered at risk either because they were impregnated at an early age (less than 18 years) or too late (age 35 or older) or had given birth more than thrice at an unacceptably short birth interval (less than 24 months between every birth), according to the NCRFW data. The estimate was higher than the 2005 estimate of 50.6 percent (around five out of 10 women), added the NCRFW.

Some family planning advocates point to the lack of national legislation on the protection of reproductive health rights in the Philippines as a factor behind such risks, especially in early child-bearing and short birth intervals.

On the other hand, there is a record high in usage of “modern” contraceptive methods (taking oral contraceptive pills and injectibles, use of condoms and intra-uterine devices). In 2006, there were an estimated 36 out of every 100 women using modern contraceptives, of which 16.6 percent use pills as contraception. Records however show that there was a 0.5 percent decrease in pills usage in that year, compared to 2005 data (17.1 percent in 2005).

Based on the 2003 National Nutrition Survey (NNS), there is a prevalence of five nutrition-related and lifestyle risk factors among women, namely: (1) dyslipidemia; (2) diabetes; (3) hypertension; (4) smoking; and (5) obesity. Based on that survey, hypertension cases are relatively high and smoking among women, though much lower compared to the number of men who smoke, recorded 12.1 percent.

On the same note, 26.6 percent of pregnant women at 11.7 percent lactating women are underweight. Anemia remains a health problem among pregnant and lactating women at the rate of 43.9 percent and 42.2 percent respectively.

The numbers of people living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), in both genders, are also increasing. From January to December 2007, the DoH recorded 342 HIV Ab Seropostive cases, 314 of which are asymptomatic and 28 of which developed into AIDS. Eight of the victims have already died from complications due to AIDS

In 2007, 1,023 cases or 33.54 percent of the total number of HIV-positive cases registered at the DoH AIDS Registry, were females, belonging to the 25-39 age group, while another 20.23 percent were in the 19-24 age group.

Out of the 3,061 HIV Seropositive cases, 1,061 were OFWs, of which 275 or three out of 10 were women. There were seven in every 10 women OFWs with HIV/AIDS were aged 25-39 years, according to DOH.

What other health and migrants’ group fear is that more cases remain undiscovered or unreported.

Education and politics

While there are relatively high rates of literacy among women, eight out of every 100 women (equivalent of two million) could neither read nor write, according to the 2003 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS 03).

Twenty-six million women are basically literate (those who can read and write), but only 25 million are functionally literate (those who are able to solve basic math problems and can comprehend what they read), FLEMSS 03 shows.

Women also seem to be more interested in studying than men.

Data from the Department of Education (DepEd) shows that at the elementary level, the female Net Enrollment Ration (NER) was computed at 76.90 percent, compared to that of boys who recorded only 75.28 percent. Using the Gender Parity Index (GPI), the ratio is 1.02, meaning that for every 100 boys enrolled, there are 102 female students.

At the secondary level, 49.58 percent (50 in every 100 girls) of girls ages 15 and above, were enrolled as of SY 06-07. The GPI ratio is 1.20 (120 girls for every 100 boys).

At the college level, 54.48 percent of the total 2.48 million enrollees were girls. 27.44 percent of enrolled in courses related to medical and allied disciplines, while 24.53 percent enrolled in Business Administration and related disciplines.

Out of every 10 women, six choose to enroll at private universities and colleges.

Girls were more likely to get diplomas than the boys. The completion rate of females at the elementary level was 67.35 percent, while in high school, it was 61.87 percent. In the year 2005-2006, 56.61 percent of the total 263,634 graduates were females.

Among licensed professionals, females seem to have the edge. The Profession Regulation Commission (PRC) recorded 63,547 licensed female professionals, against males (40,922). Of the 63,547 women professionals, 43.27 percent were nurses and 43.27 percent were teachers (elementary and high school).

On the “political” side, the participation of women in the country’s political processes remains low. This is notwithstanding the fact that females comprised the bigger voting bloc in terms of gender.

During the 1998 and 2001 elections, women candidates for national and local posts comprised a meager 20 percent of the total number of candidates.

Despite the high success rate in elections, Filipino women still have dismal participation as decision-makers in the public sector. In 2004, the average proportion of women in key elected posts, according to the NCRFW, was no more than 17 percent.

In fact, adds the NCRFW, the dismal performance of women in the 2004 elections registered a sharp drop after an increasing trend, beginning 1995.

Among the 2007 senatoriables, only four women out of 37 hopefuls (10.8 percent), vied for seats in the Senate. Only one of them won. Women participation in the senatorial elections in 2004 was higher at 20.8 percent (10 out of 48 senatorial candidates), with three women elected. (Bulatlat.com)