Media Center

News Release

Email this   printer friendly format

Philippines Sees Declining Fertility, Lower Infant Mortality Rates, Says ADB Report

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (6 AUGUST 2002) - In the Philippines, declining fertility rates and lower infant mortality rates are expected to contribute to a population increase of 50 million people by 2050. This is projected in the theme chapter on Population Trends and Challenges in the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Key Indicators 2002 released in Singapore today.

The Philippines' total fertility rate dropped from 4.4 births per woman to 3.4 births per woman between 1990 and 2000 with the infant mortality rate declining from 45 per 1,000 live births to 30 per 1,000 live births for the same 10-year period. On this basis, the Philippines is expected to experience an increase in population of 50 million people between 2000 and 2050.

The bonus is that the Philippines, along with Malaysia and Indonesia, may experience a demographic dividend, when growth of the working age population peaks compared to the number of economic dependents, the report adds. This is a challenge for the government to foster a vibrant and innovative economy that can successfully employ the growing labor force. The ability of the government to create productive opportunities will largely determine whether future millions live in poverty or not.

A looming problem in the future is population ageing, or when the number of people aged 65 and over is growing more rapidly than the working-age population. Population ageing is the phase after the demographic dividend. If the Philippines is unable to cash in on its demographic dividend, it could experience pressure on its social insurance schemes. While there is a family support system in the Philippines, population ageing will place enormous pressure on traditional means of intergenerational support. Creating new structures and institutions to replace or support traditional systems is vital, the report says.

Another challenge faced by developing countries in coming decades is to match continuing population growth and increasing demand for food with additional increases in agricultural productivity, distribution and storage systems. The Philippines is cited among those that have achieved increases in rice yield, due to new technology and more intensive production systems. But the destruction of the natural habitat is the greatest threat to biodiversity, specifically in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.

Key Indicators 2002, an annual compendium of Asian statistics, features 31 regional tables that compare the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), economic, financial, and other social indicators across 40 of ADB's developing member countries. It also includes country tables on population, labor force and employment, national accounts, production, energy, price indexes, money and banking, government finance, external trade, balance of payments, international reserves, exchange rates, and external indebtedness.

Contacts