Overview
The Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022 recognized the “empowering nature of culture,” and highlights the importance of cultural awareness in improving social awareness and equity.
In its strategic framework and legislative agenda, the PDP highlights the importance of improving systems that enable and encourage youth and children to engage with Filipino culture through mediums including libraries, visual media, education and improved infrastructure. However, COVID-19 is noted to have significantly limited culture and leisure opportunities, and leisure and culture is often deprioritized within poorer families.
Child Rights Situation Analysis
Although there is limited quantitative data to substantiate the extent to which child rights are realized regarding leisure and culture, the PDP recognizes that “the level of consciousness among Filipinos about their own culture and embedded values remains low.”
It also identifies a range of reasons for this: a lack of documented history and culture, a colonial legacy prevalent among the population that views Filipino culture as inferior, the impact of climate change and human-induced risks that have an impact on communities, tangible heritage and biodiversity and that lack of adequate resources at subnational levels to implement programmes for cultural development.
Quick notes
- Limited quantitative insights into child rights realization in leisure and cultural activities.
- PDP notes low Filipino consciousness of their culture.
Equity & Risk
Equity
Vertical tabs block
There is insufficient data to conduct equity analysis under this subdimension.
There is insufficient data to conduct equity analysis under this subdimension.
Vertical tabs block
There is insufficient data to conduct equity analysis under this subdimension.
There is insufficient data to conduct equity analysis under this subdimension.
Vertical tabs block
There is insufficient data to conduct equity analysis under this subdimension.
There is insufficient data to conduct equity analysis under this subdimension.
Vertical tabs block
Poorer households prioritize more basic needs like, nutrition and health over culture, meaning that issues like cultural identity are deprioritized by families. Additionally, leisure, play and rest are not prioritized in services for people living in poverty.
Poorer households prioritize more basic needs like, nutrition and health over culture, meaning that issues like cultural identity are deprioritized by families. Additionally, leisure, play and rest are not prioritized in services for people living in poverty.
Risks
Vertical tabs block
No natural hazard-related risks were identified as yet under this subdimension.
No natural hazard-related risks were identified as yet under this subdimension.
Vertical tabs block
No conflict-related risks were identified as yet under this subdimension.
No conflict-related risks were identified as yet under this subdimension.
Vertical tabs block
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant loss of leisure and culture opportunities in the Philippines, in which some of the world’s most stringent COVID-19 containment measures were implemented preventing many from attending school or engaging in learning for up to a year. As such, it is clear that any such future health crisis would pose a significant risk to cultural outcomes and opportunities.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant loss of leisure and culture opportunities in the Philippines, in which some of the world’s most stringent COVID-19 containment measures were implemented preventing many from attending school or engaging in learning for up to a year. As such, it is clear that any such future health crisis would pose a significant risk to cultural outcomes and opportunities.
Vertical tabs block
Gaps occur in the data on child rights. In particular, there is a lack of disaggregation by disability, and some total gaps against key indicators. In certain areas no reliable data was identified, which seemed to especially be an issue with regards to civil and participation rights data. The use of unreliable data to inform programming and policies represents a major threat to the realization of child rights: it can lead to resources being misdirected, the impact of programmes being misinterpreted and a lack of understanding surrounding the key determinants in the realization of child rights. It can also have a negative effect in terms of the planning of future programmes and policies for children.
Gaps occur in the data on child rights. In particular, there is a lack of disaggregation by disability, and some total gaps against key indicators. In certain areas no reliable data was identified, which seemed to especially be an issue with regards to civil and participation rights data. The use of unreliable data to inform programming and policies represents a major threat to the realization of child rights: it can lead to resources being misdirected, the impact of programmes being misinterpreted and a lack of understanding surrounding the key determinants in the realization of child rights. It can also have a negative effect in terms of the planning of future programmes and policies for children.
Legislation & Policy Analysis
Republic Act 10066, also known as the National Cultural Heritage Act, was enacted in 2009. The Act allows for the protection of cultural heritage and the strengthening of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. The Act also defines “six categories of cultural properties: national cultural treasures, important cultural property, world heritage sites, national historical shrine, national historical monument and national historical landmark.” The Act also created the Philippine Registry of Cultural Property (PRECUP) which is a repository of all information pertaining to cultural properties in the Philippines.
Bottleneck Analysis
For poorer families, it is likely that culture is not prioritized at household level. Poorer households prioritize more basic needs like, nutrition and health, meaning that issues like cultural identity are deprioritized by families. Additionally, leisure, play and rest are not prioritized in services for people living in poverty. Furthermore, this bottleneck is gendered to the extent that women and girls, who generally have a higher burden of household labour, may not be prioritized for civil and political participation over men and boys.
Lack of data to determine extent of youth participation among marginalized groups. For example, there is insufficient data on the extent to which children and youth with disabilities are included in SK activities at the LGU level. This, and the exclusion of girls and other marginalized groups, is likely to be a challenge.
COVID-19 has limited cultural activities since 2020. The pandemic meant doors to many cultural institutions were closed and that many cultural workers could not perform their roles due to stringent pandemic containment measures. This has created a bottleneck for realization of children’s cultural rights.
Related Publications
Share Your Insights!
Your feedback is crucial in enhancing the accuracy and effectiveness of our content. All feedback will be validated and evaluated by our content team and is subject to approval.