MAKING the LINK in the PHILIPPINES Population, Health, and the Environment

MAKING THE LINK IN THE PHILIPPINES Population, Health, and the Environment The interconnected problems related to population, are also disappearing as a result of the loss of the country’s health, and the environment are among the Philippines’ forests and the destruction of its coral reefs. Although greatest challenges in achieving national development gross national income per capita is higher than the aver- goals. Although the Philippines has abundant natural age in the region, around one-quarter of Philippine fami- resources, these resources are compromised by a number lies live below the poverty threshold, reflecting broad social of factors, including population pressures and poverty. The inequity and other social challenges. result: Public health, well-being and sustainable develop- This wallchart provides information and data on crit- ment are at risk. Cities are becoming more crowded and ical population, health, and environmental issues in the polluted, and the reliability of food and water supplies is Philippines. Examining these data, understanding their more uncertain than a generation ago. The productivity of interactions, and designing strategies that take into the country’s agricultural lands and fisheries is declining account these relationships can help to improve people’s as these areas become increasingly degraded and pushed lives while preserving the natural resource base that pro- beyond their production capacity. Plant and animal species vides for their livelihood and health. Population Reference Bureau 1875 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 520 Washington, DC 20009 USA Mangroves Help Sustain Human Vulnerability Coastal Communities to Natural Hazards Comprising more than 7,000 islands, the Philippines has an extensive coastline that is a is Increasing critical environmental and economic resource for the nation. Coral reefs near the coun- The Philippines is subject to floods, droughts, try’s coasts contain 500 of the world’s 700 known coral species, and abundant coastal cyclones, earthquakes, windstorms, tidal waves, recreational opportunities support a growing tourism industry. and landslides. The major natural disasters that The coasts are also critical for the livelihood and well-being of the growing popula- occur periodically in this region are largely due to tion living in coastal areas. The Philippines once had the most expansive mangrove and climactic and seismic factors. But rapid popula- coral reefs in Southeast Asia. Mangroves—forests of salt-tolerant trees and shrubs that tion growth, increasing population density, and grow in the shallow tidal waters of coastal areas—are important breeding and spawning environmental degradation are accelerating vul- grounds of fish and shellfish. About 75% of fish caught commercially in the Philippines nerability to disasters as settlements encroach spend some time in mangroves or are dependent on food chains that can be linked to into disaster-prone lands. Vulnerability to natural these coastal forests. hazards has increased in many coastal areas due Today, the Philippines has lost to the loss of coastal habitats, such as mangroves almost 90% of its mangroves, the Mangrove Resource Decline in the Philippines and coral reefs, which provide natural protection vast majority since 1970 (see Mangrove area (thousands of hectares) from flooding. In upland areas, the clearing of graph). Mangrove forests have been 600 forests for human settlement, agriculture, and cleared for timber and to make timber has contributed to the severity of flash room for fish and shrimp ponds, 500,000 ha in 1918 floods and landslides in the Philippines. The risk 500 human settlements, and agricultural to human life from natural disasters has and industrial development. An esti- increased dramatically over the past generation: mated 670 kg in fish catch is lost 400 From 1971 to 2000, natural disasters killed for every hectare of mangrove forest 288,000 ha 34,000 Filipinos; between 1990 and 2000, natu- that is clear-cut. Yet mangroves are 300 in 1970 ral disasters affected 35 million people. An aware- an essential resource base for the ness of population trends is critical in the formu- Philippines, providing shoreline pro- 200 140,000 ha lation of effective disaster prevention and pre- tection and nutrient cycling as well 175,000 ha 138,000 ha in 1988 in 1993 paredness plans. as a range of fishery products. in 1980 Efforts to reforest mangroves hold 100 117,000 ha promise for reinvigorating coastal in 1995 communities throughout the 0 Philippines. 1920 1970 19801988 1993 1995 Source: D.M. Melana et al., Mangrove Management and Development in the Philippines, paper presentation, Mangrove and Aquaculture Management, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand, Feb. 2000. © 2006 Population Reference Bureau Making the Link in the Philippines: Population, Health, and the Environment 1 Unmet Need for Family Planning Air and Water Pollution Contributes to Rapid Population Growth is on the Rise in Urban Growing from 76.5 million in 2000 Areas to 85.2 million in 2005, the popula- Population Growth in the Philippines: Past and Future As urban centers in the Philippines have grown, tion of the Philippines is increasing Population in millions water and air pollution problems have expand- more rapidly than most countries in 150 141 ed. These problems are particularly pressing in Southeast Asia. If the 2000 growth million the National Capital Region (NCR), where rate of 2.4% were to remain 120 approximately 13% of the country’s population unchanged, the country’s popula- 85.2 resides. Diesel emissions from buses, jeepneys, tion would double in just 30 years; million 90 utility vehicles, and trucks are estimated to be demographers project, however, the largest contributor to urban air pollution in that the future growth rate is likely 60 Projected this region. Access to clean water is becoming to be only slightly slower than that, population (medium an acute problem, with 16% of NCR’s families bringing the population to approxi- assumption) 30 lacking access to safe water sources. Between mately 141 million by 2040 (see 1996 and 2001, four major rivers in NCR were graph). This high rate of growth is 0 found to contain such high levels of pollutants due in large part to the country’s 1903 ‘18 ‘39 ‘48 ‘60 ‘70 ‘75 ‘80 ‘85 ‘90 ‘95 2000 ‘05 ‘10 ‘15 ‘20 ‘25 ‘30‘35 ‘40 that they were considered biologically dead. relatively high total fertility rate of Year Untreated wastewater spreads disease-causing 3.5 children per woman (see chart). bacteria and viruses, makes water unfit for According to the recent National Source: National Statistics Office Website, www.census.gov.ph, (accessed Feb. 1, 2006). drinking and recreational use, threatens biodi- Demographic and Health Survey, versity, reduces economic and household pro- approximately 17% of married Total Fertility Rates for Select Asian Countries ductivity, and deteriorates overall quality of life. women either would like to wait As NCR and other urban areas continue their before having more children or Laos (2004) 4.7 rapid expansion, the causes and consequences would prefer to have no more chil- Nepal (2001) 4.1 of air and water pollution will warrant even dren, but are using neither tradi- Cambodia (2000) 4.0 greater attention. tional nor modern methods of fami- Philippines (2003) 3.5 ly planning. These women are Bangladesh (2001) 3.2 referred to as having unmet need Malaysia (2004) 2.9 for family planning. Access to India (1999) 2.9 reproductive health services, includ- Myanmar (2004) 2.8 ing voluntary and effective family Indonesia (2002–3) 2.6 planning services, is essential to Vietnam (2002) 1.9 help women achieve their desired China (2004) 1.8 family size, improve family health Thailand (2004) 1.7 and quality of life, and slow the Singapore (2004) 1.4 population growth rate. Number of children per woman Source: National Statistics Office and ORC Macro, 2003 National Demographic and Health Survey Key Findings. © 2006 Population Reference Bureau Making the Link in the Philippines: Population, Health, and the Environment 2 Forests Have Been Cleared for Human Use Human Development Between 1990 and 2000, the Philippines lost more than 800,000 hectares of forests to Index Provides clearing for agriculture, forest fires, illegal logging, and other factors. Only about 7% of a Measure of the nation’s original lowland forest remains. In addition to the important roles healthy forests play in soil stabilization, climate regulation, and watershed protection, forests Development Progress also provide habitat for many of the country’s threatened plant and animal species. The Human Development Index (HDI) seeks Because the Philippines’ remarkable diversity of species is increasingly threatened, the to measure the level of human development by entire country has been named one of the world’s 25 “biodiversity hotspots.” About merging three indicators—health (life 76% of plant species in the Philippines are endemic (i.e., they are found nowhere else in expectancy), knowledge (school enrollment and the world), as are more than half of the country’s mammal species. More than 400 literacy rates), and standard of living (per capi- plant and animal species in the Philippines are currently threatened with extinction, ta income)—to produce a single number including the Philippine eagle, the tamaraw, and the dugong. between zero (lower development progress) and one (higher development progress). While the HDI does not capture all facets of human 1900 1999 development, it provides a

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