Reports and Policy Notes Here are the key findings and results from the surveys conducted as part of the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child. This study provides valuable insights into the lives of Filipino children as they grow from adolescence into adulthood, highlighting the changes, challenges, and opportunities they encounter.
LCSFC Wave Reports
At age 16, Wave 6 conducted in 2022—new information about this cohort has been revealed. This includes insights into their sexual reproductive health, as some begin sexual activity, experience pregnancy, or become more open about expressing their sexuality.
This report evaluates the progress of the Philippines in achieving youth-relevant targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through LCSFC. The LCSFC tracks a nationally representative cohort of Filipino children from age 10 in 2016 to age 24 in 2030, assessing the impact of the SDGs on their transition from childhood to young adulthood.
The study’s data from Waves 4A and 5, covering early to later stages of the pandemic, provided insights into the cohort’s experiences during intense lockdowns and the transition to the “new normal.” Key findings included increased difficulty in meeting expenses, decreased food security, and challenges with remote learning. Some indicators showed improvement in the latter phase of the pandemic, suggesting adaptation and positive responses to government programs.
The fourth survey round of the LCSFC took place during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. Key findings include increased reports of sickness, disability, work, alcohol consumption, and chatting with strangers, alongside higher internet and cellphone use. While physical violence by friends and adults has decreased, violence by parents and hunger remain persistent issues.
The third survey wave include significant developmental changes in 12-year-olds, increased internet use and risky behaviors, decreased stunting but persistent health concerns, high school enrollment rates, and notable disability assessments. The study aims to inform policies for Filipino youth through ongoing data analysis and dissemination.
This report provides insights into the development and well-being of Filipino children aged 11-12. Key findings include high school enrollment rates, significant developmental milestones, and ongoing health and behavioral assessments. The study aims to inform policies and programs to support Filipino youth through comprehensive data analysis and stakeholder engagement
This report aims to highlight the experiences of marginalized 10-year-old Filipino children, focusing on those with disabilities, living in conflict zones, geographically isolated areas, or indigenous communities. It also examines the experiences of LGBTQIA youth.
The study highlights the challenges faced by these children, including access to education, healthcare, and bullying, and provides insights into their coping mechanisms, aspirations, and the support they receive or lack. The report offers policy recommendations to address gaps in services and support for these vulnerable groups.
This report describes the status of 10-year-old Filipino children, focusing on key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Seven domains of vulnerability were identified: education, health, nutritional status, food security, child labor, exposure to physical violence, and precedents to risky behaviors.
LCSFC Policy Notes
The prevalence of undernutrition in the form of stunting and wasting or being thin among children in the age groups under 5, 5-9, and 10-19 years have remained high in the past decade as reported by the National Nutrition Surveys (NNS) (FNRI, 2016, pp. 24, 39, 50).
In 2015, the prevalence of stunting among these groups of children are 33%, 31%, and 32% respectively. For wasting, the corresponding prevalence rates are 7%, 8%, and 13%. Data from the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child (Cohort Study) show similar rates for 10-year old children surveyed in 2016.
The Cohort Study also found significant links between undernutrition and schooling outcomes. This Policy Note describes these findings and their policy implications.
This policy note highlights key statistics and findings on issues around bullying, school attendance, and more. It also discusses the impact of socio-economic factors on children’s well-being and provides recommendations for policy improvements to enhance the quality of life for children in the country.
Children’s disability impacts educational performance in various ways depending on the nature of the disability and the effectiveness of educational practices that accommodate for such impairments.
This Policy Note describes the results of the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child2 (Cohort Study) on disability among 10-year old children and its effect on schooling outcomes, policy responses of the Philippine government to address issues of children with disabilities and education, and suggestions for moving forward.
It is clearly important to examine the child work/labor phenomenon in a broader milieu. For instance, we need to know the extent to which other child outcomes, such as schooling and cognitive capacity, are associated with child work/labor. Equally relevant is understanding the household and community context within which engagement in child work/labor exists. The Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child or Cohort Study presents an opportunity to look into the child work/labor phenomenon in greater detail and as it affects Filipino children.
In the Philippines, sex differences in education outcomes are more favorable toward females (Paqueo & Orbeta, 2019; San Buenaventura, 2019; Maligalig, et al., 2010; Daniels & Adair, 2004), a trend also observed in other countries. For example, in industrialized countries, this disparity is described as the “male overrepresentation among secondary school drop-outs and female overrepresentation among tertiary education and graduates” (Pekkarinen, 2012). Similarly, the Global Education Monitoring Report (2018) found that boys, particularly in Europe and Latin America, are disadvantaged in terms of education outcomes because of gender expectations, poverty, and the school environment. Accordingly, boys from poor households are pulled out from schools due to the expectation that they could easily enter the market for unskilled labor. Likewise, school environments that propagate traditional gender norms could contribute to the disengagement of boys from schools (UNESCO, 2018). This discrepancy, particularly at an early age, sets boys at a distinct disadvantage in terms of human capital formation and prospects for a productive future.
The report explores the impact of food insecurity on Filipino children, linking it to negative health and education outcomes. Using data from the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child, the study finds that household food insecurity, which worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is prevalent and particularly affects children in vulnerable communities. Households in Visayas and Mindanao, rural areas, and those experiencing frequent natural disasters are more likely to face food insecurity, impacting children's well-being and human capital development.
The children’s capacity to adapt to these changes are highly dependent on how much help they get from parents, teachers, and the community. This brings us to the question: Are children’s needs being addressed by current guidelines on COVID-19?
The Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child (Cohort Study) presents an opportunity to look at data on these identified areas: handwashing compliance, the implications of home confinement, and distance learning preparedness and capability. Data and insights from the Cohort Study in the waves prior to the pandemic may be used to indicate readiness and capability for observing mandated policies.
As communities and countries transition to the new normal, insights from the Cohort Study findings may also help guide new policies or emphasize implementation of existing ones that still prove relevant. This policy note examines key results of the Cohort Study in the above areas and concludes with implications for policy formulation.
The Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child1 (Cohort Study) provides an opportunity to explore the impact of the Covid19 pandemic on a nationally representative sample of households with children. The Cohort Study has conducted annual surveys to date and since the 2016 baseline survey (when index children were age 10) through its fourth wave in 2020 (at age 13) data collection was done through home visits (face-to-face interviews).
This policy brief examines the patterns of health care utilization among Filipino children during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights findings from the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child (LCSFC) on household decision making regarding health care, before and during the pandemic, especially as it pertains to households with children. The LCSFC sample represents Filipino households with children who were age 10 in 2016.
These households have the added burden of forming capabilities to determine life trajectories of these children. Obtaining information on health care seeking behavior has implications on the children’s welfare and presents handles for policy action which are enumerated in this brief.
This policy note examines the relationship between breastfeeding duration and psychosocial development among children aged 5-6 in the Philippines. Using data from a longitudinal study, it finds that longer breastfeeding correlates positively with better psychosocial outcomes, such as social-emotional development and school readiness. However, this benefit tends to peak during the second year of life and declines slightly with longer breastfeeding durations. The findings suggest that promoting breastfeeding may have lasting benefits on child development, particularly in rural, low-income populations.