Baseline Socio-Economic Situation of the Municipality of Buhi

Transcription

2008 BASELINE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SITUATION
OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF BUHI
Camarines Sur
Final Report
Prepared by
Ateneo Social Science Research Center
for the University Social Involvement Council,
Ateneo de Naga University
the
October 2008
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Ateneo Social Science Research Center (ASSRC) would like to acknowledge
the following institutions and individuals who provided support to the completion
of this report:
The Local Government of Buhi, specifically the Municipal Planning and
Development Office of Buhi;
The Barangay Councils of Buhi;
The Respondents;
The Field Staff of the ASSRC; and
The many men and women whose names we regretfully failed to mention
but whose help, in one way or another, made a difference in the conduct
of this study.
DIOS MABALOS SAINDO GABOS!
2008 Baseline Socioeconomic Situation of the Municipality of Buhi
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Table of Contents
Content
Page
Acknowledgement
Table of Contents
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I. Executive Summary
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II. Introduction
Background
Objectives
Methodology
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III. Results and Discussions
Socio-demographic
and Cultural Characteristics of the
Respondents
Income, Expenditure and Savings
Poverty and Income Distribution
Access to Credit
Self-Rated Poverty and Hunger Situation
Diet and Nutrition
Access to Water
Access to Sanitation
Security of Tenure
Durability of Housing
Sufficient Living Space
Environmental Management
Access to Other Basic Services
Entrepreneurship
Organizational Participation
Abused Women and Children
Population Management
Local Governance
Community Problems and Aspirations
Problems and Aspirations for Family and Self
Buhi’s Progress Towards the Attainment of Goal 7 Target 11 of
the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)
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IV. Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations
References
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List of Tables
Table
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Title
Selected socio-demographic and cultural characteristics of the
respondents
Selected socio-demographic and cultural characteristics of HH
members
Migration pattern
Income and expenditure
Monthly household expenditure pattern
Savings pattern
Mean and median monthly income by quintile
Distribution of income by quintile
Credit pattern
Self-rated poverty by background characteristics
Self-rated mean and median poverty thresholds
Experience of hunger by background characteristics
Frequency of hunger
Quality of life in the past 5 years
Quality of life in the next 3 years
Frequency of meal preparation
Type of food taken in daily meals
Distribution of food among household members
Access to water
Access to sanitation
Security of tenure
Durability of housing
Disaster preparedness
Living space
Environmental management
Drainage systems
Environmental awareness
Type of cooking fuel used
Access to electricity
Access to health facilities and services
Most reported types of illnesses
Access to communication services
Access to media
Entrepreneurship
Membership in organizations
Community participation by type of organization
Officership in organizations
Knowledge of violence against women and children
Awareness of contraception methods
Approval of use of artificial methods of contraception
LGU responsiveness to local issues and problems
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Community problems and aspirations
Family problems and aspirations
Localized Global Standard for Goal 7, Target 11, MDG
List of Figures
Figure Title
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Location map of Buhi
Lorenz curve
Self-rated poverty
Access to water
Access to sanitation
Secure tenure
Sufficient living space
Durability of housing
Environmental management
Summarized localized global standards and indicators
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Buhi,
Camarines Sur
BUHI
Figure 1. Location Map of Buhi, Camarines Sur
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The study, based on a survey of 300 samples, was conducted to provide
an updated profile of the Municipality of Buhi, Camarines Sur. It also attempted
to measure the municipality’s performance against Goal 7 Target 11 of the
Millennium Development Goal set by the United Nations. The output of this study
serves as basis for the development planning which the University Social
Involvement Council (USIC) and the local government may later undertake.
Profile of the Respondents and Household Members. Majority of the
respondents are female, reside in rural areas and are engaged in agriculture
related economic activities. Most received elementary level education at most
and belong to the lower income class. Average age is 46.
Average household size is 5 members. Most of the household members
are very young, with an average age of 27 years. Educational attainment is low.
Among those belonging to the economically productive age, 39% are gainfully
employed, 16.9% are under-employed and 6.7% are unemployed.
Income, Poverty and Hunger Situation. Household average monthly
income is estimated at P11,214 while average monthly expenditure is placed at
P9,637. Food and health care comprises the bulk of the expenditure. Only a few
of the respondents claim to have some savings in the past 6 months, which they
mostly kept in the bank.
The problems of poverty, hunger and income inequality remains high and
widespread. Poverty incidence among families in Buhi is estimated at 51%. The
municipality’s Gini coefficient (0.43), a measure of income inequality, indicates a
wide income disparity among the population. Hunger proportion is at a doubledigit (23.3%). Hunger is prevalent among Classes D and E, married and living-in
couples, households with seven or more members, and agricultural wage
earners. While hunger is moderate, the double-digit is alarming.
Access to Credit. Nearly half of the respondents have outstanding loan
with business persons and microfinance institutions. Borrowed money is mainly
used to meet basic needs and/or to finance businesses. Relatives still represents
one of the strongest support system.
Entrepreneurship. The propensity for engaging in business is high,
particularly in trading of agricultural products, retailing, animal raising, among
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others. The lack of capital, fear of bankruptcy, preoccupation with domestic
chores, and the lack of know-how serve as major constraints.
Organizational Participation. Participation rate in community organization
is low, particularly among those aged 25-34 years, which may be attributed to
their preoccupation with their job and their families. Among socioeconomic
groups, low participation rate is noted among classes D and E, which may be
partly due to pressures of having to find daily subsistence. While membership in
organizations is dominated by women, managerial positions are largely
occupied by the men. This is expected as men have traditionally dominated the
public sphere and women the private sphere.
Abused Women and Children. There is medial awareness regarding the
rights of women and children. Physical abuse is the predominant form of VAWC,
but children reportedly suffer from sexual abuse as well.
Population Management. Among married and live-in couples, there is a
high level of awareness regarding family planning methods. The use of artificial
contraceptives as a birth control method is also generally accepted. But less
than half of them actually practice some form of family planning method, nearly
all of whom use artificial methods of contraceptives. Birth control is appears to
be perceived as primarily the responsibility of women.
Disaster Preparedness. While almost all of the families seem prepared on
what to do during a disaster, they revealed very limited options on what to do
after a disaster. Measures actually undertaken by households to prepare for a
hazard include storing personal belongings in a safe, dry place, reinforcing roofs
and windows, identifying family evacuation routes, and storing critical supplies
such as food, flashlights, batteries, candles, firewood and medicines. The need
for early warning systems was also expressed.
Community Problems and Aspirations.
The lack of income or job
opportunities, of basic physical infrastructures and of access to transportation
tops the list of identified community problems. These are followed by the lack of
medical personnel and supplies in community health centers, the growing
number of bystanders, improper waste disposal practices, and political
bickering.
The respondents aspire for a peaceful, safe and clean community where
they could live a healthy and productive life. They likewise aspire for a
community that promotes good governance. Aspirations for family and self are
mostly economic in nature that includes enjoying a long and healthy life, having
a good-paying job, getting out of poverty, and owning a house and lot.
Buhi’s Progress Towards the Attainment of Goal 7 Target 11 of the
Millennium Development Goals (MDG). Seven global and local indicators were
used to measure Buhi’s progress towards the attainment of Goal 7 target 11 of
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the MDG namely: access to water, access to sanitation, secure tenure, durability
of housing, sufficiency in living space, and sound environmental practices.
Access to Water and Sanitation. Water is generally affordable and
available in sufficient quantity. But most families still do not have access to
private piped-in water connections Families have access to toilet facilities,
although most are not equipped with appropriate sewerage systems
Housing and Security of Tenure. While housing is generally affordable, not
crowded, and safely located, most do not have proof of ownership of house
and lot, are built of inferior quality and in need of major repairs. A large majority
of the respondents claim to be uninformed of the local housing codes or
standards.
Environmental Management. Six out of ten households still use unsound
waste management practices such as burning or simply dumping their garbage
in vacant lots, creeks or lake. Almost the same proportion also report not having
a drainage system in their community, although only few of them complained of
flooding.
Among the environmental problems frequently identified by the
respondents are flooding, forest denudation, and improper garbage disposal.
Other problems include air pollution, water pollution, illegal fishing, landslides,
and stagnant water due to inadequate drainage systems.
Overall, access to water, sanitation, and security of tenure need
improvements while the durability of housing and environmental management
are found inadequate, and thus, need immediate attention. Only sufficiency of
living space is found to be adequate.
The above findings suggest that to further improve the municipality’s
performance in terms of delivery of quality water, it has to exert effort towards
enabling households to finance the installing of their own piped-in water. Access
to sanitation will be greatly improved by ensuring that household toilet facilities
are fitted with concreted septic tanks.
In order to improve the municipality’s performance in terms of durability of
housing as well as security of tenure, the local government may provide a
housing amelioration program. This program should allow families to acquire
and/or improve their own house and lot and ensure that they have full
documentation of ownership.
This program, however, will have to be
implemented alongside livelihood programs that would enable families to
enhance their ability to pay, among others.
Environmental management, on the other hand, may be improved by
increasing information campaigns and, at the same time, strictly enforcing waste
segregation laws. The installation of adequate drainage systems, especially in
areas affected by frequent flooding, must also be addressed.
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1. INTRODUCTION
Background and Rationale
The Municipality of Buhi is situated 500 kilometers south of Manila or 53
kilometers south of Naga City (Figure 1). It lies on a rugged volcanic terrain
bounded on the east by Mt. Malinao, on the west by Mt. Asog, on the north by
the mountains of Sagnay, and on the south by the low-lying ranges of Polangui,
Albay. The municipality has a total land area of 22,855 hectares, including the
1,800 hectare Lake Buhi, for which the town is widely known.
Classified as a second class municipality, the local economy of Buhi relies
largely on agriculture and tourism. Seventy-five percent (75%) of its total land
area is primarily utilized for agriculture; the rest consists of forest land as well as
residential and industrial areas. Its agricultural sector mainly produces rice, corn,
banana, coconut, abaca and fish such as tilapia, carp and mudfish. Its natural
beauty provides opportunities for tourism. Lake Buhi is one of the town’s scenic
attractions and was adjudged as one of the cleanest lakes in the Philippines in
1996. Aside from its aesthetic value, Lake Buhi supplies water to the 2.8
megawatt Hydro Electric Power Plant of the National Power Corporation and the
national irrigation facilities that services around 10,000 hectares of rice land in the
greater Rincoda area. The lake likewise serves as habitat to the world’s smallest
edible fish, the “sinarapan.” The town also has a burgeoning cottage industry
specializing in garments and bamboo crafts, providing additional employment
and income particularly to women in the municipality.
In 1998, the drive to achieve real progress in Buhi shifted to high gear. The
local government unit (LGU) of Buhi with the support of other government
agencies mounted serious efforts to develop the town’s physical infrastructure
which included the construction of barangay health centers, public schools,
barangay electrification, public water systems, agricultural support services and
farm to market roads. Likewise, it saw the construction of the Millennium Center,
which houses a socio-cultural hall, a sports center and the New Buhi Public
Market. DIGITEL, SMART and GLOBE corporations started to provide
telecommunications and internet services in the municipality. Cable TV services
were also made available through private service providers.
In 2003, the LGU of Buhi with the support of the Department of Science
and Technology and the National Computer Center jumpstarted its electronic
governance program or “eLGU.” Through this program, the LGU is expected to
achieve, among others, a more efficient delivery of basic public services,
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increase its tax collection capacity, and provide greater access to vital public
information.
But while the LGU of Buhi has demonstrated some degree of success in
local governance, the growth it is currently experiencing seems to have little
perceivable impact in terms of equity. For some reason, the observed growth
seems to not have trickled down to the poorer sector of the population in the
form of more jobs, more livelihood opportunities, or a more equal distribution of
income.
This study was conducted under the commission of the University Social
Involvement Council (USIC) of the Ateneo de Naga University. An updated
socio-economic assessment of the realities at the ground is necessary not only for
validation purpose but as basis for identifying, designing, targeting and
evaluating USIC development projects in the municipality. It may also be useful
for the monitoring of the municipality’s progress towards the achievement of the
Millennium Development Goal, particularly Goal 7 Target 11, which generally
aims to significantly improve the quality of the poor by 2015.
Objectives of the Study
Generally, this study aimed to provide an updated profile of the
Municipality of Buhi. This profile covers the socio-demographic characteristics of
the respondents, assessment of the poverty situation using self-rated poverty
techniques, migration pattern, housing, peoples’ participation in local
governance, expenditure pattern, violence against women and children, access
to credit, population management, community problems and aspirations in life.
This study also attempted to measure the municipality’s progress towards the
attainment of goal 7 of target 11 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)
Methodology
Research Design
The study employed the descriptive research design in describing the
nature of the situation as it existed at the time of the study. It made use of the
survey descriptive research design form using personal interviews with the aid of
interview schedule as technique for gathering information.
A sample size of 300 was obtained from the total number of those in the
population who were of voting age. Sixty (60) spots were generated with each
spot representing five (5) sample respondents. This sample size of 300
corresponded to a +/- margin error of 5.65% at 95% confidence interval.
A two-stage probability sampling was employed. The first stage involved
allocating the 300 samples or the 60 spots proportionately to the 27 barangays of
Buhi, leading to the identification of the sample barangays. The second and
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final stage was the identification of the household respondent using systematic
random sampling.
The target respondents for this study were the household (HH) heads or
their spouses. In the absence of both, an adult who was knowledgeable of the
affairs and conditions of the HH was interviewed.
Interview Schedule
The interview schedule was divided into 16 blocks: the pertinent sociodemographic and cultural characteristics; the estimated household
income/livelihood source; household expenditure and savings pattern; access to
credit; poverty and hunger situation; access to water; access to sanitation;
security of tenure; durability of housing; sufficiency of living space; environmental
management; access to other basic services; population control; abused
women and children; organizational participation; connectivity; and community
problems and aspirations.
Encoding, Coding and Data Processing
All responses from the interview schedule, pre-coded as well as noncoded responses, were encoded using EPI-INFO Statistical and Data Base
Program. Encoded data were printed and edited to ensure accuracy. To avoid
a varying interpretation of multiple responses from open-ended questions,
coding of responses were done prior to data processing. Generation of prespecified data requirements was facilitated using the Statistical Package for the
Social Sciences (SPSS) software.
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2. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Socio-demographic and Cultural Characteristics of the Respondents
Table 1 presents the socio-demographic characteristics of the
respondents in terms of locale, sex, age, religion, ethnicity, educational
attainment, marital status, work status, socio-economic status, household size
and primary source of household income.
Expectedly, majority (81.7%) of the respondents live in the rural barangays
while the rest (18.3%) are from the urban barangays. Females comprise 75% of
the total respondents and males 25%. Nine out of ten respondents (94%) in Buhi
describe themselves as Bicolanos, while the others claim to belong to such
ethno-linguistic groups as Tagalog, Ilonggo, Cebuano, Kapampangan and
Ilocano.
Nearly all (95%) of the respondents profess to being Roman Catholics,
while the rest state that they belong to other religious congregations such as
Iglesia ni Cristo, Pentecostal Church, and others.
Age was grouped into six categories with a 10-year interval, except for
the first and last category. The proportion of respondents in Buhi is almost an
equal mix of both the young and the old, with those belonging to the age
bracket 18-44 constituting 48.3% and those belonging to 45 and over making-up
51.7%. The mean age is 46. A large majority (77%) are married.
Education was grouped into three categories: those who had reached
elementary level, high school level or vocational/college/post graduate level. Of
the total respondents, 42.7% report to have, at most, attended elementary
school while 34.6% have gone to high school, and 22.7% have reached
vocational or college level.
Nearly half (42.3%) of the respondents claim themselves to be gainfully
employed. Others (24.3%) are either under- or unemployed, while 33.3% simply
opt not to engage in any form of employment. Close to half (41.7%) earn
income from agricultural endeavors as farmers or farm laborers. Almost the same
proportion (43%) derive their income from non-agricultural activities by being
wholesale and retail traders, transport operators or drivers, private or public
employees, and teachers. Some (15.3%) households depend on remittances,
rentals from properties or the net shared from crops or livestock. Roughly two in
every ten households report having one or two family members or close relatives
who are working abroad.
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Table 1. Selected socio-demographic characteristics of respondents,
Buhi, 2008
Socio-Demographic Characteristics
Urban
Rural
Sex
Male
Female
Age of respondents
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
Religion
Roman Catholic
Iglesia ni Cristo
Born Again/Pentecostal
Others/None
Self-described ethnicity
Bicolano
Tagalog
Ilongo
Cebuano
Ilocano
Kapampangan
Educational attainment
None/Elementary
High School
Vocational/College/Post
Marital status
Single
Married
Living-in
Separated
Widowed
Work status
Not working, not looking for work
Not working but looking for work
Working, not looking for additional
work
Working, still looking for additional
work
Primary source of HH
income
Wages/salaries, agriculture
Wages/salaries, non-agriculture
Entrepreneurial, agriculture
Entrepreneurial, non-agriculture
Other sources of income
Socioeconomic status
AB
C
D
E
Locale
Percent
18.3
81.7
24.7
75.3
5.3
19.0
24.0
22.3
29.3
95.0
2.0
1.0
1.9
94.0
2.7
1.3
1.4
0.3
0.3
42.7
34.6
22.7
5.0
76.7
9.3
1.0
8.0
33.3
7.0
42.3
17.3
8.7
19.3
33.0
23.7
15.3
0.3
9.3
75.7
14.7
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Socio-economic status was proxied by housing characteristics. Individuals
were classified into the upper class (AB), the middle class (C), the poorer class
(D), and the poorest class (E). This classification was based on the construction
materials of the house, the quality of construction, the type of neighborhood,
and the quality of indoor furnishings, among others. The results show that a
substantial majority of the respondents in Buhi come from the poor socioeconomic class. Three-fourths (75.7%) fall under Class D while around 15% belong
to Class E. The remaining respondents fall under Class C (9.3%) and Class AB
(0.3%).
Household size was grouped into four categories with regular intervals
except for the last category (Table 2). In Buhi, close to half (43.7%) of the
households include 4 to 6 members. The mean household size is 4.7 members.
Members of the households are quite young, with more than half (55.1%)
belonging to the age bracket 0-24 years. Mean age is 27. Of the total number of
household members belonging to the economically productive age (15-64), 39%
claim to be gainfully employed, 16.9% are under-employed and 6.7% are
unemployed, while the rest have either chosen not to engage in any form of
gainful work or are studying.
Table 2. Selected socio-demographic characteristics of household
members, Buhi, 2008
Socio-Demographic Characteristics
Household size (N=300)
1-3 members
4-6 members
7-9 members
10 members & over
Age
of
household
members
0-17
(N=1,414)
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65 & over
Educational attainment
None/Elementary
(aged 6-above; N=1,179) High School
Vocational/College/Post
Work status
Not working, not looking for work
(aged 15-64; N=764)
Not working but looking for work
Working, not looking for additional
work
Working, still looking for additional
work
Student
Percent
35.6
43.7
17.6
3.1
46.9
8.2
10.8
10.7
8.8
8.3
6.2
53.0
31.9
15.1
23.9
6.7
39.0
16.9
13.5
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In ascertaining the ethnic-linguistic roots of the respondents, a question
concerning their place of origin was posed. Results show that 76% of the
respondents were born in Buhi (Table 3). The rest come from places of both short
and far distances: 16.3% were born outside of Buhi but within the Bicol Region
and 7.7% come from outside the region. Length of stay in Buhi averages 38.6
years.
Information on their last place of residence show that short distance
movements have taken place within the town, with 72.3% of the respondents
having either resided in the same barangay since birth or moved from one
barangay to another within Buhi. For those who have transferred residence to
Buhi from another place, their reasons for doing so include marital fulfillment
(56.5%), presence of other family members or relatives (24.7), availability of
housing (12.3), proximity to place of work (5.2), and ownership of lot (1.3%).
Table 3. Migration pattern, Buhi, 2008
Migration Pattern
Values
Place of birth (% of HH)
Same barangay in Buhi
53.3
Other barangay within
22.7
Buhi
Outside Buhi, within Cam.
8.3
Sur
Outside Cam. Sur, within
Bicol
8.0
Outside Bicol
7.7
Average length of stay in Buhi (in years)
38.6
Last place of residence
Same barangay in Buhi
49.0
(% of HH; N=154)
Other barangay within
Buhi
23.3
Outside Buhi, within Cam.
Sur
8.7
Outside Cam. Sur, within
Bicol
6.3
Outside Bicol
12.7
Reasons for migrating to Buhi
Marital
56.5
(% of HH; N=154)
Presence
of
family/relatives
24.7
Proximity to place of work
5.2
Availability of housing
12.3
Owned a lot in the
barangay
1.3
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Income, Expenditure and Savings
Household income accounts for the money that members of the
household receive either from economic activities (business or outside
employment) or non-economic activities (gambling, pension, remittance, etc.).
It also accounts for the reproductive activities of women in the home commonly
known as “homemaking.” This information was derived by asking them to impute
for the value of their reproductive work. This valuation was then included in the
computation of the households monthly income.
Table 4 shows the actual and imputed monthly expenditure and income
of the households. On the average, for a household size of 5, actual monthly
expenditure reaches P6,464 which is P3,173 less than the imputed household
expenditure of P9,637.
Table 4. Income and expenditure, Buhi, 2007
Statistics
Average
Median
Std. Dev.
Monthly Expenditure
(in pesos)
Actual
Imputed
6,464
9,637
4,442
7,079
6,844
9,477
Monthly Income
(in pesos)
Actual
Imputed
8,417
11,214
5,671
8,488
9,711
9,900
Table 5 shows that, on the average, the bulk of actual monthly
expenditures incurred by households cover food (45.4%), health care (10.6%),
household operations including laundry soaps, personal care products (10.5%),
education (7.8%), lighting (5.4%), and transportation (4.7%).
Table 5. Monthly household expenditure pattern, Buhi,
2007
Expense Items
Food
Health care
Household
operations
Education
Lighting
Transportation
Socials
Taxes/premiums
Cooking fuel
Communication
Clothing
Average
Amount
(in pesos)
2,937
688
Percent Share
to Total
45.4%
10.6%
679
501
349
301
220
144
163
135
102
10.5%
7.8%
5.4%
4.7%
3.4%
2.2%
2.5%
2.1%
1.6%
Entertainment
Furniture & fixtures
Water
Donations
Rent/amortization
TOTAL
87
57
45
30
26
6,464
12
1.3%
0.9%
0.7%
0.5%
0.4%
100.0%
In terms of income, actual average monthly income is at P8,417 while
imputed average monthly income is at P11,214, a difference of P2,797. The
difference is roughly attributed to the imputed value that women placed on
their reproductive or homemaking activities.
As average monthly income is higher than expenditure, savings is realized.
This is true for some (16.3%) households who say that they have savings, which
they keep mainly either in the bank (37.3%) or at home (37.2%) (Table 6). Others
prefer to keep their savings in their wallet, closet, cash box or with the local
“paluwagan.” Average savings is P16,056.
Table 6. Savings pattern, Buhi, 2008
Savings Pattern
Savings (% of HH)
With savings
Without savings
Where savings are kept
Piggy bank
(% HH; N=49)
Wallet
Closet
Cash box
“Paluwagan”
Bank
No Response
Ave. amount of savings (in
pesos)
Median amount of savings (in pesos)
Std. Deviation (in pesos)
Values
16.3
83.7
33.3
19.6
3.9
2.0
2.0
37.3
2.0
16,056
2,495
34,092
Poverty and Income Distribution
For a very rough estimate of the poverty in Buhi, the 2006 National
Statistical Coordination Board’s (NSCB) monthly per capita poverty threshold of
P1,219.50 for Camarines Sur was used as reference. The resulting poverty
incidence among families in Buhi is placed at 51%, which is 10 percentage points
higher than the province’s poverty incidence of 41% in 2006.
To determine whether income is equitably distributed, the mean and
median of the household income by income level are derived (Table 7). In Buhi,
the mean monthly income of P8,4167 is relatively higher than median monthly
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income of P5,671, initially suggesting that there may be more higher income
households relative to those with lower income or that a considerable number of
households have extremely high incomes. Upon deeper examination of the
results, the latter was established as being the case. Data show that the lowest
20% earned a maximum monthly income of P2,600 while the highest 20% earned
a maximum of P85,500 per month, reflecting a wide disparity in income
distribution.
Table 7. Mean and median monthly income by quintile, Buhi, 2007
Family Income
Groups
Overall – Buhi
Lowest 20%
Second lowest 20%
Middle 20%
Next Highest 20%
Highest 20%
Income Range
(in pesos)
400 - 85,500
400 - 2,600
2,627 - 4,067
4,083 - 6,507
6,525 - 12,500
12,550 - 85,500
Median
(in pesos)
5,671
1,782
3,280
5,671
8,125
18,360
Mean
(in pesos)
8,417
1,727
3,293
5,468
8,532
23,064
Table 8 also shows this disparity in income among the population. By
percentage share of income, the lowest 20% of the population receive only 4.1%
of the total income, while the highest 20% get more than half (54.8%) of the total
income.
Table 8. Distribution of income by quintile, Buhi, 2007
Absolute Equality
Quintile Category
1st Quintile: Lowest 20%
2nd Quintile: Next Lowest
20%
3rd Quintile: Middle 20%
4th Quintile: Next Highest
20%
5th Quintile: Highest 20%
% Share
of
Income
20
20
2007 Actual Income
Distribution
Cumulative
% Share
% Share of
Income
Cumulative
% Share
20
40
4.1
7.8
4.1
11.9
20
20
60
80
13.0
20.3
24.9
45.2
20
100
54.8
100.0
The Lorenz curve for Buhi is drawn to illustrate how income is equally or
unequally distributed among the population (Figure 2). Essentially, the curve
shows the relative sizes of one cumulative magnitude as against the other. In
Figure 2, the cumulative percentage of the population is depicted in the
horizontal axis; the cumulative percentage of income earned in the horizontal
axis. The solid diagonal line represents the ideal situation of absolute income
equality. This means that, at every point along the diagonal line, the percentage
14
of income received is equal to the percentage of income recipients. For
example, the point halfway along the diagonal line represents 50% of the total
income being distributed to 50% of the population. The Lorenz curve, on the
other hand, depicts how much of the total income earned actually belongs to
what income groups. Graphically, this means that the more the Lorenz curve
veers away from the line of absolute equality, the greater is the degree of
income inequality.
In the case of Buhi, the gap (shaded area) between the line of absolute
equality (solid diagonal line) and the Lorenz curve (broken curve) explicitly
indicates the existence of income inequality among the population. The
magnitude of income disparity in the municipality is given by its Gini coefficient
of 0.45, which is close to countries with highly inequitable distribution of .50 to .70
(Todaro 1996).
100%
Absolute Equality
Income Share
80%
Actual Income Distribution
(Lorenz Curve)
60%
40%
20%
0%
0
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Population
Fig 2. Lorenz Curve, Buhi, 2007.
Access to Credit
Table 9 shows that most (78.3%) of the households have already availed of
some form of credit at some point in their lives. Of this group, 42.3% have
outstanding loans, mostly with local business persons (39.4%), relatives (29.2%) or
formal financial institutions such as banks or microfinance agencies (25.6%). A
few others (6.8%) say that they owe credit to friends, cooperatives or their
employers.
While a third (33.6%) borrowed money for capitalization, more than half
(58.8%) borrowed money to meet basic needs such as food, medical care,
schooling and shelter. A few used the proceeds of the loan to spend for home
appliances, family social activities or loan payments.
15
Table 9. Credit pattern, Buhi, 2008.
Credit Pattern
Percent
Has availed of a loan
78.3
With
outstanding
42.3
loans
Sources of loans
Bank/microfinance
25.6
Cooperative
2.9
Neighbor/friends/employers
3.9
Relatives
29.2
Business people/Bombay/5-6
39.4
Actual use of loan
proceeds
Business/farm capital
33.6
Medical care
13.3
Food
29.4
Schooling
7.7
Purchase home lot/house
repair
8.4
Family/social affairs
4.2
Loan
payment/appliance
purchase
3.5
Self-Rated Poverty and Hunger Situation
Poverty situation in Buhi was determined using the self-rated approach.
This section presents the self-rated poverty incidence, means and median
poverty thresholds, the experience and degree of hunger, and the quality of life
in the past 5 years and in the next 3 years. All questions used in this section were
adopted from the Social Weather Station (SWS).
Majority Claim Themselves as Poor
The self-rated poverty ratings show that 76.3% of the families in Buhi
consider themselves as poor, 9% not poor, and 14.7% on the line (Figure 3).
Apparently, the self-rated poverty incidence in Buhi is way above the 2006 NSCB
official estimate of 41.2% incidence of poor families in Camarines Sur. The gap
between the two measures may be explained by the difference in the definition
of “what is it to be poor.”
Not
Poor
9%
On the
Line
15%
Poor
76%
Figure
3.
Poverty, Buhi, 2008
Self-rated
16
While there are more males who rate themselves as poor (79.7%), the
percentage does not significantly differ from that of the females (75.2%) (Table
10). The high incidence of poverty is evident among single (86.7%) and married
individuals (76.1%), although the number of married respondents is much larger
(230) than that of single individuals (15).
In terms of the source of income, poverty incidence is much higher
among those engaged in agricultural enterprises (81.1%) and those who are
dependent on salaries/wages from the non-agricultural sector. Also, the results
indicate that the level of poverty decreases with educational attainment, that is,
the higher the educational attainment, the lower the incidence of poverty.
Table 10. Self-rated poverty by background characteristics, Buhi, 2008
Background Characteristics
Sex
Male
Female
Marital Status
Single
Married
Living-in
Separated
Widowed
Education
None/Elementary
High School
College/Voc/Post
Source
of Wages/salaries – agriculture
income
Wages/salaries
–
nonagriculture
Entrepreneurial – agriculture
Entrepreneurial
–
nonagriculture
Percent of Population
On the
Not
Poor
line
Poor
79.7
13.5
6.8
75.2
15.0
9.7
86.7
6.7
6.7
76.1
14.8
9.1
75.0
17.9
7.1
66.7
33.3
75.0
16.7
8.3
81.3
11.7
7.0
79.8
15.4
4.8
61.8
19.1
19.1
70.6
23.5
5.9
80.3
7.6
12.1
81.1
11.4
13.2
15.2
5.7
73.4
74.1
18.8
7.1
Perceived Monthly Mean and Median Poverty Threshold
In order for families in Buhi to be called “not poor” anymore, they would
need a monthly average of P15,135 for home expenses (Table 11). Median
poverty threshold is P11,250.
By civil status, those who are separated from their partners have the
highest monthly need of P18,333 for their home expenses, followed by those who
are married (P15,437), living-in (P14,143), single (P14,333) and widowed (P13,625).
The fact that the highest amount for monthly expenses declared come from
17
those who are separated may reflect that a heavier financial pressure exists on
the part of single parents compared to others.
Table 11. Self-rated mean and median poverty thresholds, Buhi, 2008
Characteristics
Mean
N
Median
Overall – Buhi
Marital Status
Singles
Married
Living-in
Separated
Widowed
Source of Income
Wages/salaries – agriculture
Wages/salaries
–
nonagriculture
Entrepreneurial
–
nonagriculture
15,135
300
11,250
Std.
Deviatio
n
8,140
14,133
15,437
14,143
18,333
13,625
15
230
28
3
24
8,140
10,749
7,417
7,638
5,911
10,000
10,000
10,000
20,000
15,000
16,471
17
7,451
15,000
14,636
14,179
66
53
9,911
9,798
10,000
10,000
15,203
15,788
79
85
9,600
11,104
10,500
15,000
Hunger Proportion is at Double Digit
For Buhi, hunger proportion is at a double digit. When asked whether their
family had ever experienced hunger and had nothing to eat in the last three
months, 23.3% said yes (Table 12). This figure is higher than the February 2007
national proportion of households reporting hunger, which was 19%.
Table 12. Experience of hunger by background characteristics, Buhi,
2008
Characteristics
Overall – Buhi
Marital Status
Socioeconomic
Status
Single
Married
Living-in
Separated
Widowed
AB
Yes
23.3
13.3
23.9
28.6
20.8
-
No
76.7
86.7
76.1
71.4
100
79.2
100
C
D
E
3.6
22.5
40.9
96.4
77.5
59.1
Household size
Source of income
1-3 members
4-6 members
7-9 members
10 members & over
Wages/salaries – agriculture
Wages/salaries
–
nonagriculture
Entrepreneurial
–
nonagriculture
18
19.6
20.6
34.0
44.4
52.9
22.7
80.4
79.4
66.0
55.6
47.1
77.3
18.9
15.2
81.1
84.8
28.2
71.8
Data further shows that hunger is prevalent among Class E (40.9%) and D
(22.5%), those who are living-in (28.6%), those with seven or more household
members, and those who are dependent on salaries/wages from the agricultural
sector (52.9%).
In terms of frequency of hunger, Table 13 shows that close to a quarter
(21.3%) say that they had experienced hunger and had nothing to eat only
once or a few times in the past three months. While hunger is moderate, the
double digit is alarming. Severe hunger (often and always) among families is 2%,
lower than the national rate of 4% reported by the SWS.
Table 13. Frequency of hunger, Buhi, 2008
Frequency
Only once
A few time
Often
Always
N=70
Percent
74.3
17.1
5.7
2.9
More Losers, But More Optimists
When asked to compare their quality of life now to that of the past five (5)
years ago, slightly more than half (50.7%) said that it was worse now. A quarter
(25%) say that it is better now, while roughly the same proportion (24.3%) say that
it has not changed or that it is the same as before (Table 14). By sex, both males
and females are shown to be the both losers, -35.2% and -22.6%, respectively,
although there appears to be a larger proportion of losers with the men than
among the women. Quality of life for upper and middle classes (Class AB)
appears to be far better than the lower classes (Class D and E). Households
belonging to Class D have the largest percentage of losers, registering a net gain
of -34.8%.
19
Table 14. Quality of life in the past 5 years, Buhi, 2008
Characteristics
Overall – Buhi
Sex
Male
Female
Socioeconomic
Class
AB
C
D
E
Better
now
25.0
Same as
Before
24.3
Became
worse
50.7
Net
Gain
-25.7
21.6
26.1
21.6
25.2
56.8
48.7
-35.2
-22.6
50.0
20.3
34.1
100
21.4
24.7
22.7
28.6
55.1
43.2
21.4
-34.8
-9.1
When asked whether they foresee any changes in their quality of life for
the next three years, slightly more than half (52.7%) are optimistic about the
future or expect their quality of life to improve (Table 15). About a third (29%)
does not foresee any change in their socioeconomic status, while 12% are
pessimistic about the coming period.
Optimism about the quality of life in the next three years dominates
among females (53.1%) compared to the males (51.4%). In terms of socioeconomic class, there are more optimists among Class E households (54.5%) than
Class C (53.6%) or D (52.4%); those belonging to Class AB foresee no changes in
their quality of life in the coming period.
Table 15. Quality of life in the next 3 Years, Buhi, 2008
Characteristics
Overall – Buhi
Sex
Male
Female
Socioeconomic
Class
AB
C
D
E
Will
becom
e better
Same
as
present
Will
becom
e worse
52.7
29.3
12.0
Don’t
know/
Refused
to
answer
6.0
51.4
53.1
31.1
28.8
12.2
11.9
5.4
6.2
39.2
41.2
53.6
52.4
54.5
100
28.6
30.0
25.0
17.9
11.0
13.6
6.6
6.8
35.7
41.4
47.7
Net
Gain
40.7
20
Diet and Nutrition
The welfare of households in Buhi may also be inferred by looking at the
pattern of diet and nutrition pattern (Table 16). On the average, households take
three major meals and one snack or “merienda” a day. They usually prepare
food 20 times a week, cooking their own food for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
They also buy lunch or dinner from restaurants or the “carenderia” one to two
times a week.
Table 16. Frequency of meal preparation, Buhi, 2008
Indicators
Number
of
meals
in
a
day
(except
”merienda”/snacks)
Number of snacks per day
Number of meal preparation per week
Number of cooked food bought per week
Mean
2.98
1.2
20.2
1.7
The type of food items taken during meals are shown in Table 17. Rice
remains to be the staple food and is served three times a day. It appears that, for
breakfast, most households frequently take only rice and (dried) fish along with
some beverages like coffee or milk. For lunch and dinner, most of the households
prefer to eat rice and vegetables; some also take fish (dried/fresh/canned). Only
a few include any meat or poultry products in their daily diet.
Table 17. Type of food taken in daily meals, Buhi, 2008
Food Items
Rice/noodles
Vegetables
Fish (fresh/dried/canned)
Meat (fresh/processed)
Poultry (chicken/egg)
Bread/root crops/banana
Fruits
Coffee/milk/tea/juice
Percent of Households
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
20.6
39.2
38.6
1.5
34.7
34.2
10.1
19.8
19.9
1.3
4.3
4.7
5.2
1.0
1.3
23.4
0.0
0.4
0.4
29.2
0.1
-
In food distribution within the household, the patriarchal system and
dominance of the male are apparent (Table 18). In two out five households, the
biggest food servings go to the husband or sons. This is consistent with the data
on who among the household members receive the least number or amount of
food servings. The data show that, in four out of five households, the female
household members receive the least food servings. However, when serving the
best viand, gender discrimination is no longer evident, with more than three out
of five households saying that it is equally shared among household members.
21
Table 18. Distribution of food among HH members, Buhi, 2008
Family Member
Husband
Wife
Sons
Daughters
Other male household
members
Other female household
members
Equally shared
Percent of Households
Best Part
of the
Largest
Least
Serving
Serving
Meal
22.7
4.2
4.0
15.8
4.2
4.0
24.5
6.2
11.3
20.1
5.5
6.3
7.8
6.5
10.0
8.3
0.7
73.3
-
1.0
63.3
Access to Water
Access to water is determined by affordability, ownership, water quality,
and effort and time. By and large, water in Buhi may be said to be affordable as
households report spending less than 10% of their monthly income on water
(Table 19). However, only around a quarter (24.3%) of the households report
having their own private connections to piped-in water systems, which is sourced
either from Buhi Waterworks, improved springs or deep wells. A large majority
(75.7%) of the households fetch water either from neighbor’s private piped-in
water system, public/private deep wells, improved springs or open wells. A few
obtain water from nearby springs or river. Nevertheless, almost all (96%) of the
households were found to have sufficient supply of water, consuming at least 20
liters of water a day per person. Only 4% may be considered to have insufficient
supply of water (consuming less than 20 liters of water per day per person).
Of those who draw water from piped-in water systems, 88.5% say that their
water piping are installed underground, while the rest say that theirs are either
exposed aboveground (9.6%) or along canals and drainage systems (1.9%).
To assess the quality of water, three indicators were used: clearness, smell
and taste. On the whole, households report that their water is clear (95.3%) and
that it neither smell strange (98%) nor taste odd (96.7%).
Table 19. Access to water, Buhi, 2008
Indicators
With private connection to piped-in water
system
Without private connection/has to fetch or buy
water
Percent
24.3
75.7
Share with neighbor’s piped-in water
system
Improved
spring/deepwell
(private/public)
Open well (private/public)
Spring/river
Affordability of water
Less than 10% of monthly income on
water
10% or more of monthly income on water
Sufficiency of water quantity
Consumes at least 20 liters/person/day
Consumes less than 20 liters/person/day
Appropriateness of water pipe connection
Installed underground
Exposed/installed aboveground
Installed along canals/drainage systems
Water quality
Clear
No strange smell
No odd taste
22
10.3
44.0
20.0
5.7
96.0
4.0
96.0
4.0
88.5
9.6
1.9
95.3
98.0
96.7
Access to Sanitation
Access to sanitation is defined by the presence (or absence) of toilets and
septic tanks. Data show that most (84.3%) of the households has their own
flush/pour-flush toilet facility that is shared by no more than two other families
(Table 20). Some (11.0%) make use of communal toilet facilities that is shared by
more than two other families. A few (4.7%) use their own open pit toilets or the
open fields or the nearby river or lake.
Almost all (97.7%) households maintain that the toilets have septic tanks.
Although 44% of the households have appropriate septic tanks (all-concrete),
slightly over half (53.7) may be considered to have inappropriate septic systems
(semi-concrete or non-concrete). A small number (2.3%) have no system tank at
all.
Table 20. Access to sanitation, Buhi, 2008
Indicators
With own flush/pour-flushed toilet facility
Without own toilet facility
Share with neighbors/communal toilet
Open pit/open field/river/lake
Number of other families who share the same
toilet
Percent
84.3
15.7
11.0
4.7
Does not share with any other family
1-2 families
3-4 families
Type of toilet used
Water sealed/flush/pour-flush
Open-pit
Open field/lake/creek
Septic tanks
With septic tanks
Without septic tanks
Type of septic tanks
Concrete (sides and bottom)
Semi-concrete (sides only)
Non-concrete/pit/drum
23
87.6
9.7
2.7
96.6
1.7
1.7
97.7
2.3
45.1
26.3
28.7
Security of Tenure
Security of tenure is indicated by one’s ownership of house and lot,
affordability of house and lot, and experience of eviction. Results show that
nearly a third (28.7%) of the households has secure tenure status, that is, they
have proof of ownership for both house and lot (Table 21). On the other hand, a
large majority (61%) claims to be renting or may be considered as squatting, but
with the consent from the owner of the house and/or lot while the rest (10.3%)
profess that they own the house and/or lot but do not have proof of ownership
or full payment. The data also show that nearly all (99.7%) of the households are
spending less than 30% of their monthly income on their house and/or lot.
Nearly all (97.7%) of the households seem to have de facto protection
from eviction as they maintain that they have never experienced eviction in the
last 10 years. Only a few (2.3%) report having been evicted at least once from
their homes during the same period. When asked if they foresee the possibility of
being evicted in the next 5 years, almost all (92.3%) of the households reply in the
negative.
Table 21. Security of tenure, Buhi, 2008
Indicators
Ownership of house and lot
Own house and lot/with proof of ownership
Own house and/or lot but without proof of
ownership
Renting/squatting but with owner’s consent
Affordability
30% of monthly income
more than 30% of monthly income
Have experienced eviction (past 10 years)
Percent
28.7
10.3
61.0
99.7
0.3
Yes
No
Foresee the possibility of eviction (next 5 years)
Yes
No
24
2.3
97.7
7.7
92.3
Durability of Housing
Durability of housing units is indicated by location, the kind of housing
materials used for roofs and walls, compliance with building codes and
ordinances, and the households’ disaster awareness and preparedness. The
results show that while most (89.3%) of the households maintain that their houses
are located in a safe place, some (10.7%) say otherwise (Table 22). The reasons
given being that their houses are located in low lying areas along the lake, river
or canal that makes them susceptible to flooding, near land-slide prone areas, or
along the highway.
Housing units in Buhi usually have either roofs that are made of either
strong or light materials. The results show that housing units with roofs made of
galvanized iron, aluminum or concrete slab predominates (71.3%) in the
municipality, while the rest (28.7%) are mostly made of nipa, anahaw or cogon.
On the other hand, most (69.3%) of the housing units have outer walls made out
of strong materials (concrete, wood or galvanized iron), while the remaining
(30.7%) are largely made of light, makeshift materials (bamboo, sawali or nipa).
Over half (60.7%) of the households say that their houses require major repairs.
By and large, households are not aware of any building codes or
ordinances being enforced by the municipality (84%). Only a few (16%) say that
they are aware of building regulations. Of this group, only half (50%) maintain
that the construction of their housing units comply with these regulations.
Table 22. Durability of housing, Buhi, 2008
Indicators
Self-assessed security of housing location
Located in a safe areas
Located in a unsafe areas
Location of housing perceived to be unsafe
Near rivers/lakes/creeks
Near the hi-way
Near foothills/cliffs
Low lying areas
Near Mt. Iriga (because it is still active)
Roofing materials
GI sheet/aluminum/concrete slab
Nipa/anahaw/cogon
Percent
89.3
10.7
47.1
11.8
35.3
2.9
2.9
71.3
28.7
Materials for outer walls
Concrete/wood/GI sheet
Bamboo/sawali/nipa
Self-assessed of structural condition of housing
unit
Requires major repairs
Does not require major repairs
Awareness of local housing code/regulations
Informed
Not informed
Self-assessed compliance to local housing
code/regulations
Complied
Not complied
25
69.3
30.7
60.7
39.3
16.0
84.0
50.0
50.0
In terms of disaster preparedness, almost all (98.3%) of the households
claim that they are prepared to cope with natural hazards, such as typhoons
and flooding, that are known to frequently hit the area during the latter part of
the year (Table 23). In the event of an impending hazard, the measures actually
undertaken by households to prepare for the hazard vary and include a mix of
the following: storing personal belongings like clothes in a safe, dry place (31.2%),
reinforcing roofs and windows (24.9%), storing extra food (19.5%), identifying
possible places where the family could evacuate (18.2%), and stocking up on
additional supplies like flashlights, batteries, candles, firewood and medicines
(5.4%). But more than this, most (67%) of the households point out the need for
the local government unit to provide them with early warnings of any impending
hazard so as to allow them sufficient time to prepare. Asked whether they would
be willing to comply with the order to evacuate their homes in the event of a
hazard, nearly all (95%) say they would.
Table 23. Disaster preparedness, Buhi, 2008
Indicators
Self-assessed disaster preparedness
Prepared
Not prepared
Preparations frequently undertaken
Store personal belongings in safe, dry place
Reinforce roofs and windows
Store extra food
Identify family escape routes/evacuation
areas
Store other vital supplies (e.g., flashlights,
batteries, candles, firewood, medicines)
Willingness to evacuate in case of calamities
Yes
Percent
98.3
1.7
31.2
24.9
19.5
18.2
5.4
95.3
No
Assistance needed from LGU
Assistance in housing construction
Early warnings of impending calamities
26
4.7
50.0
66.7
Sufficiency of Living Space
The sufficiency of living space is indicated by the incidence of
overcrowding in households. In Buhi, almost all (95.7%) of the respondents live in
houses with floor areas large enough to dispose at least 2 square meters person
(Table 24). A large number (76%) of these houses also have enough number of
rooms such that no more than four individuals sleep in one open space.
Together, these findings suggest that, in Buhi, a substantial majority of the
households live in houses wherein they enjoy sufficient living space or are not
overcrowded.
Table 24. Living space, Buhi, 2008
Indicators
Floor area
At least 2 square meter/person
Less 2 square meter/person
Number of rooms
No more than 4 individuals sleeping/room
More than 4 individuals sleeping/room
Percent
95.7
4.3
76.0
24.0
Environmental Management
The concern on environmental management focused on the manner of
garbage disposal, observance of waste management regulations, presence,
type and regularity of cleaning of drainage.
In Buhi, households usually practice one or two ways of garbage disposal.
Majority (61.3%) profess to maintain practices that do not comply with waste
disposal regulations: segregation and non-burning (Table 25). A large majority of
the households say that their garbage is collected two to three times a week by
garbage trucks (66.2%) or buried (3.5%). Some (11.1%) of the households say that
they that they dispose their garbage by burning; 16.1% simply dump their
garbage in vacant lots or in a nearby river or lake. These practices are known to
be environmentally unsound as they contribute to the worsening problem of
pollution. Only very few (0.5%) households maintain that they recycle garbage
by composting and by segregating and selling used bottles and plastics.
Table 25. Environmental management, Buhi, 2008
Reponses
Compliance to RA 9003
Percent
Practice waste segregation
Practice non-burning of garbage
Do not practice segregation and non-burning
of waste
Manner of waste disposal
Burned
Dump in vacant lots/rivers/creeks
Collected by garbage trucks
Buried
Recycled/composting/sold used bottles and
plastics
Frequency of garbage collection
Daily
Weekly
Twice/thrice a week
Monthly
27
35.0
3.7
61.3
11.1
16.1
66.2
3.5
0.5
2.7
31.1
64.9
1.4
In terms of drainage system, only about half (46.7%) of the households
maintain that they have an existing drainage system in their area, consisting
mainly of open canals (Table 26). On the other hand, a little over half (53.3%) of
the households say that they live in areas where there is no drainage system,
which causes them to be more susceptible to flooding, although very few (7%)
report experiencing frequent flooding in their area.
Table 26. Drainage systems, Buhi, 2008
Indicators
Is aware of any drainage system in their community
Types of drainage system
Open canal
Covered canal
Reported the occurrence of frequent flooding in their
community
Percent
46.7
91.4
8.6
7.0
Asked if they are aware of any environmental problem occurring in their
community, only 18.7% of the households replied in the positive (Table 27).
Among the major environmental problems which they observe are flooding
(39.1%), forest denudation (35.9%), and improper garbage disposal (12.5%).
and stagnant water during summer due to inadequate drainage systems.
Table 27. Environmental awareness, Buhi, 2008
Indicators
Is aware of any environmental problem in locality
Identified environmental problems
Flooding
Percent
18.7
39.1
Forest denudation
Improper garbage disposal
Air pollution
Water pollution
Land slides
Stagnant water/poor drainage
Illegal fishing
28
35.9
12.5
4.7
3.1
1.6
1.6
1.6
Access to Other Basic Services
Cooking Fuel
Table 28 shows that, in Buhi, households still rely heavily on the use of
biomass energy for cooking: firewood (80%) and charcoal (14.7%). Only a fifth
(21%) report using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), electricity or kerosene. This
pattern may be attributed to the desire of households to respond to the rising
cost of LPG and electricity.
Table 28. Type of cooking fuel used, Buhi, 2008
Type of Cooking Fuel
Liquefied petroleum gas (LGP)
Electricity
Gaas/kerosene
Firewood
Charcoal
Percent
17.3
0.6
0.3
69.2
12.7
Electricity
A large majority (72.3%) of the households in the municipality report
having private electricity connections with the Electric Cooperative (CASURECO)
III, while others (11.7%) tap into or share their neighbor’s private electricity
connection. Some (16%) households have no electricity at all, relying only on
gaas or kerosene lamps for lighting (Table 29).
Table 29. Access to electricity, Buhi, 2008
Source of lighting
Gaas/kerosene
CASURECO III
With own electrical connection
Shared with neighbors
Percent
16.0
84.0
72.3
11.7
29
Health Services
Almost all (92.7%) of the respondents report having a health care center in
their barangay (Table 30). A large majority (86.3%) report having gone to a
health facility (Barangay Health Station, Rural Health Unit, private clinic or
hospital) during the previous year because of some medical or health needs.
These medical needs include routine check-ups (53.7%), treatment of minor
injuries or illnesses (27.8%), immunization (14%), maternal care (3.9%), and surgical
operation (0.5%).
Of those who have gone to a health facility the previous year, almost all
(91.9%) reported not having encountered any problems with regards to its
services. In the few cases that cropped up, the most frequent complaints include
over-crowded rooms, insufficient medical supply, lack of medical personnel,
discourteous staff, unhygienic facilities, among others.
Table 30. Access to health facilities and services, Buhi,
2008
Indicators
With existing health facilities in their
community
Have visited a health facility last year
Frequently visited health facilities
Barangay health station
Rural health unit
City/municipal hospital
District/provincial hospital
Regional hospital
Private hospital/clinic
Medical/health needs sought during visit
Regular check-ups/laboratory tests
Treatment of minor injuries/illnesses
Immunization
Maternal care
Surgical operation
Problems encountered during visit
None
Over crowded/waited for a long
time
No medical supply
Unhygienic/not well maintained
Lack of trained medical peronnel
Discourteous staff
Too expensive
Percent
92.7
86.3
50.3
18.8
7.7
3.0
0.9
19.3
53.7
27.8
14.0
3.9
0.5
91.9
3.1
2.7
0.8
0.8
0.4
0.4
30
In cases of illnesses in the family, doctors are the most frequently sought
after for medical treatment (64.7%), followed by the Barangay Health Workers or
midwife (19.9%), “albularyo” (7.8%) and “parahilot” (7%).
Table 31 shows that among the many health problems reportedly
afflicting households in the municipality, the five most frequently mentioned are:
influenza (32.7%), common cold (18.6%), other respiratory diseases (8.1%),
diarrhea (6.9%), and hypertension (6.7%).
Table 31. Most reported types of illnesses, Buhi,
2008
Types of Illnesses
Influenza
Common cold
Various respiratory diseases
Diarrhea
Hypertension
Percent
32.7
18.6
8.1
6.9
6.7
Connectivity
Connectivity is measured in terms of access to telephones ad cell phones.
While only very few (2.3%) of the households have landlines, 50.3% say they own
1-2 units of cell phones presumably because cell phones are more affordable,
convenient and mobile (Table 32).
Table 32. Access to communication services, Buhi,
2008
Types of communication facility
Own land line
Own cellular phones
With 1-2 units
With 3-4 units
Percent
2.3
50.3
89.4
10.6
Media
Table 33 shows that among households in Buhi, television is the most
commonly used source of information (53%), followed by radio (39.6%), cell
phones (2.6%) and newspapers or tabloids (1.7%). Other sources of information
include newspapers or tabloids, barangay bulletins, and the internet as well as
announcements made during mass in church or barangay assemblies. Of the
various TV stations in the country today, ABS-CBN is the most frequently watched,
with 8 out of 10 households patronizing it. The low popularity of other TV stations
could be attributed to poor reception.
Table 33. Access to media, Buhi, 2008
Indicators
Sources of information
Television
Radio
Cellular phones
Newspaper/tabloids
Barangay bulletin/assemblies
Others (church, encyclopedia,
internet)
Most watched TV station
ABS-CBN
GMA
Entrepreneurship
31
Percent
53.0
39.6
2.6
1.7
0.8
0.6
78.7
21.4
A large majority (81.3%) of those who are not engaged in any form of
business enterprise at present express a desire to start one of their own (Table 34).
Most (52%) of them want to have their own convenience store while others
prefer to engage in the buy-and-sell of agricultural products (25%), swine or
tilapia raising (10%), or the food business like an eatery, bakery or meat shop
(9%). A few say that they wanted to venture into metal or wood crafting or
lending (4%).
When asked what was keeping them from starting their own businesses,
nearly all (89.6%) point to the lack of capital. Others also raise such domestic
problems as not having anybody to leave their children with or the disapproval
of their husband of the idea (8.0%). They also mention lacking knowledge on
how to run the business (1.2%) or are simply too old or physically handicapped
(1.2%).
Among those who prefer not to engage in any form of business, their
reasons include old age (44.2%), fear of losing money or going bankrupt (27.9%),
no interest in business or the preference working abroad (11.6%), preoccupation
with domestic chores or caring for the children (9.3%), or lack of know-how in
running a business (7%).
Table 34. Entrepreneurship, Buhi, 2008
Indicators
With desire to own business
Overall – Buhi
Among males
Among females
Type of business desired
Convenience store/grocery
Buy and sell of agricultural products
Swine raising/fish culture
Percent
81.3
78.3
82.5
52.0
25.0
10.0
Eatery/bakery/meat shop
Metal/wood craft
Constraints to starting own business
Lack of capital
Care
for
children/husband
disapproves
Lack knowledge to run business
Too old/physically handicapped
Reasons for not wanting to own business
Old age
Fear of losing money/bankruptcy
Prefers employment/work abroad
Preoccupied with domestic chores
Lack business know-how
32
9.0
3.0
89.6
8.0
1.2
1.2
44.2
27.9
11.6
9.3
7.0
Organizational Participation
Membership in Organization
In Buhi, only 14.3% of the households are involved in at least one
organization in the community as shown in the study (Table 35). The participation
rate among the females is higher than those among the males, 28.2% and 20.8%,
respectively. Participation rate is low among those aged 25-34 and those who
are separated, which may be attributed to their preoccupation with their job
and families. Participation rate is relatively high among those with higher
educational attainment. Among the socio-economic classes, while Class AB
report not having joined any organization, participation rate is relatively high
among Class C, D and E households, which could be related to the inherent
need among them to build up their social capital for survival purposes
Table 35. Membership in organization, Buhi, 2008
Overall – Buhi
Sex
Age
Civil Status
Male
Female
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55 & over
Single
Married
Membership of any
community
organization
Yes
No
14.3
85.7
20.8
79.2
28.2
71.8
14.3
85.7
13.8
86.2
23.5
76.5
17.1
82.9
42.6
57.4
100
28.7
71.3
Education
Economic
Living-in
Separated
Widowed
None/Elementary
High School
Voc/College/Post
AB
C
D
E
11.8
37.5
23.8
26.3
28.9
38.9
25.6
18.2
33
88.2
100
62.5
76.2
73.7
71.1
100
61.1
74.4
81.8
Types of Organizations
The organizations which Buhinons are members of are classified into: 1)
civic-private; 2) civic groups; 3) religious group; and, 4) women’s groups. Privatecivic enterprises include CARD Mutual Benefit Association, Antipolo Multi-Purpose
Cooperative, Coconut Farmers’ Organization, Multi-purpose Parish Cooperative,
Brawasa Multi-purpose Cooperative, DTI Corn Husk Novelty Organization, San
Antonio Farmers’ Multi-purpose Cooperative, Barangay Piggery Raisers
Association, and Agrarian Reform Organization. Socio-civic groups refer to the
Senior Citizens Organzation, Barangay Health Workers’ Association, Barangay
Tanod Association, Triple C, Mr. and Mrs. Club, Dreamers’ Club, Rabuz, Young
Society Club, Buhi Elephants Club, CABANGAN Club, and KAMSARAWAT.
Religious groups include the Parish Pastoral Council, Couples for Christ, Ladies of
Lourdes, Wealthy Beggars, and Domus Nazarette. Women’s group include
Kababaihan Digdi sa Kabikolan, Kampi ng Kababaihan, Nagkakaisang
Kababaihan ng Sta, Justina, Kalikasan ng Kababaihan, and Women’s Group
Association.
Table 36 shows that, over all, most of the households who reported joining
an organization belong to civic-private groups (48.8%), socio-civic groups
(44.2%), religious organizations (23.3%), or women’s groups (11.5%). Membership
in organizations is dominated by women, which reveals women’s increasing
participation in community development process.
Table 36. Community participation by type of organization,
Buhi, 2008
Organization
Socio-civic
Private-civic
enterprise
Religious
Women
Male
26.3
Female
73.7
28.6
30.0
-
71.4
70.0
100
Total
44.2
48.8
23.3
11.5
While organizations may be dominated by women, the greater
percentage of males with decision-making roles is indicative of the men’s
prevailing dominance in the public sphere (Table 37). Officership peaks at age
34
35-44, and drops thereafter. Officership is also directly related to educational
attainment. Among socio-economic classes, Class C has greater access to
officership than the lower classes, D and E; households belonging to Class AB
report not having joined any community organization.
Table 37. Officership in organization, Buhi, 2008
Background
Is an officer in any organization
Sex
Male
Female
Age
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55 & over
Education
None/Elementary
High School
Voc/College/Post
Economic
AB
Class
C
D
E
Officership in any
Community Organization
Yes
No
26.1
73.9
70.0
30.0
36.8
63.6
100
50.0
50.0
62.5
37.5
42.9
57.1
39.1
60.9
20.0
80.0
46.7
53.3
69.2
30.8
100
57.1
43.8
25.0
42.9
56.3
75.0
Women and Children Issues
Knowledge of Child and Women Abuse
There is medial (58%) knowledge of RA 9262 or the so-called Anti-Violence
Against Women and Children. When asked of their personal knowledge on child
and women abuses, only about 7.3% and 5.7% give an affirmative response,
respectively (Table 38). Expectedly, those with vocational/college/post graduate
education profess to have a relatively higher personal awareness regarding
violence against women and children. Among socio-economic classes, class C
appears to exhibit higher level of awareness of cases of women and childe
abuse; Class AB reports having no personal knowledge of any cases of abuse.
Physical abuse is the dominant form of abuse known to be inflicted on
children and women, 50.1% and 66.7%, respectively. Among children, physical
abuse such as excessive beating, punching, and choking is predominant (46.5),
followed closely by sexual abuse (46.4%), and emotional abuse (3.6%). Examples
given of sexual abuse are molestation and rape, while emotional abuse includes
grave threats.
35
Among women, the physical form of abuse also predominates (66.7). The
second most frequent form of violence inflicted on women is emotional abuse
such as when her male partner is having an affair, humiliates her by scolding her
in public, or prohibits her from socializing with other people (29.2%). Last is sexual
abuse that includes rape (4.2%).
Table 38. Knowledge of violence against women and children, Buhi, 2008
Background
With personal knowledge
Sex
Male
Female
Education
None/Elementary
High School
Voc/College/Post
Economic
AB
Class
C
D
E
Cases of
Child
Abuse
7.3
9.5
6.6
5.5
4.8
14.7
14.3
7.5
2.3
Cases of
VAW
R.A. 9262
5.7
5.4
5.8
3.9
2.9
13.2
-
58.0
64.9
55.8
44.5
61.5
77.9
100
7.1
5.3
6.8
67.9
57.3
54.5
Population Management
Awareness of Contraceptives
Households in Buhi exhibit a high level of awareness of contraceptive as
indicated by a high positive response of 79.7% when asked if they were aware of
contraceptives (Table 39). This level is moderately high but lower than the overall
contraceptive knowledge reported by the 2003 National Demographic Survey at
99% among women of reproductive age in Bicol. The relatively low level of
contraceptive awareness might be attributed to the inclusion of males in the
sample. They may not be as well-informed as the females.
The level of contraceptive awareness varies by socio-economic
characteristics, that is, sex, socio-economic classes and education.
As
expected, females (82.3%) are more likely to be aware of contraceptives than
males (71.6%).
Similarly, more educated individuals tend to have more
information on contraceptives than the less educated ones: among collegeeducated, 94.1%; high school educated, 83.7%; and, elementary educated,
68.8%. By socio-economic class, the poorest class E appears to have the lowest
proportion (68.8%) of households who are aware of contraceptives compared to
the middle class C (96.4%) or the upper poor class D (80.2%). This may be
explained by one’s access to resources provided by media in particular.
36
Table 39. Awareness of contraception methods, Buhi, 2008
Male
Female
None/Elementary
High School
Vocational/College
AB
Awareness of
contraception
method
Yes
No
79.7
20.3
71.6
28.4
82.3
17.7
68.8
31.3
83.7
16.3
94.1
5.9
100
C
D
E
96.4
80.2
68.2
Overall - Buhi
Sex
Education
Socioeconomic
status
3.6
19.8
31.8
When asked if they approved of the use of artificial methods to prevent
pregnancy, more than half (55%) express approval (Table 40). By sex, approval is
higher among males (57%) than females (54%), among the more educated
(college/voc/post, 59%) than the less educated ones (none/elementary and
high school, 53% each), and among the low socioeconomic classes, Class D
(55%) and E (60%).
As to the type of contraceptive actually used by married couples, oral pills
come out as the most popular (26%), followed by withdrawal (19.2%), rhythm
(16.5%), tubal ligation (16.4%), condoms (8.2%), injectables (6.8%), IUD (4.1%), and
vasectomy (2.7%).
Table 40. Approval on use of artificial methods of contraception, Buhi,
2008
Approval of use of artificial
contraceptives
Yes
No
55
45
Male
57
43
Female
54
46
None/Elementary
53
47
High School
53
47
Vocational/College
59
41
AB
-
Overall - Buhi
Sex
Education
Socioeconomic
status
C
D
E
48
55
60
52
45
40
37
Local Governance
The respondents were asked to rate the performance of the local
government in addressing some local development concerns confronting the
municipality at present such as improving the town’s road network, garbage
collection, access to clean water, illegal logging, availability of medical supplies
in barangay health stations, illegal gambling, maintaining general peace and
order, illegal fishing, and maintaining the cleanliness of Lake Buhi.
Table 41 shows that among the abovementioned development issues, a
large majority of the households perceive the local government as actually
doing something about maintaining the cleanliness of Lake Buhi (89%), general
peace and order (85.6%), improving the town’s road network (75.7%), providing
access to clean water to households (75.3%), controlling illegal fishing activities
(75%), and providing adequate medical supplies to barangay health stations
(69.4%). On the other hand, relatively fewer households in Buhi perceive the local
government as doing enough to address regular garbage collection (45.6%) as
well as to controll illegal logging (52.3%) and illegal gambling (28.0%) in the
locality.
Table 41. LGU responsiveness to local issues and problems, Buhi, 2008
Community Issues
Road improvement
Regular
garbage
collection
Access to drinking water
Control illegal logging
Provision
of
medical
supplies
Control illegal gambling
Maintaining peace and
order
Control illegal fishing
Cleanliness of Lake Buhi
Actually
Doing
Something
88.7
72.6
Not Doing
Anything
Net Approval
Rating
13.0
27.0
75.7
45.6
87.3
75.3
84.7
12.0
23.0
15.3
75.3
52.3
69.4
63.3
92.6
35.3
7.0
28.0
85.6
86.0
93.7
11.0
4.7
75.0
89.0
Community Problems and Aspirations
Community Problems
Table 42 shows that, for many households in Buhi, the most pressing
problem is the lack of job opportunities or other alternative sources of income
(35.8%). They complain about their meager income in the face of the increasing
38
prices of basic commodities and growing number of dependents, particularly
children, to feed.
Some (21%) of the households complain of poor road conditions and the
lack of access to transportation. They likewise point out the lack of other basic
infrastructure such as drainage systems to mitigate flooding and streetlights.
Some (13.4%) of the households also express the lack of medical supplies and
trained medical personnel in some barangay health stations as well as the lack
of community water systems and educational facilities in some areas.
Quite a number (16.3%) of the households also convey their concern over
the growing number of bystanders in the locality. They feel distress over the
incidences of theft, alcohol and drug abuse among the youth, and gambling in
their communities. A few (0.6%) also express concern over the damage being
done to Lake Buhi by the pollution brought about by improper waste disposal
and quarrying. A similar number of households (0.6%) also complain about the
political disputes or politicking among some public officials, which they believe
only serves to delay the delivery of much needed assistance to or even
aggravate problems in the communities.
Community Aspirations
Asked about their aspirations for their community, many households in
Buhi express their desire for a place that is peaceful, clean and green (51.9%) or
a place where people enjoy a healthy life (2.7%). A few even aspire for
development of Buhi into a city (3.8%). A few (2%) also yearn for a place where
both young and old cease to engage in alcohol and/or drug abuse, and learn
to spend their time productively instead of gambling.
Community progress comes next, which households associate with the
presence of more employment opportunities for people brought about by public
investments in livelihood projects, manpower training and tourism development
in the municipality (20.5%). For some households, progress also includes building
and maintaining basic public infrastructures such as road networks, bridges,
drainage systems, and evacuation centers (8%). It also means the provision of
basic social services through well-equipped, adequately staffed health care
centers or “Botika sa Barangay” as well as the installation of public water systems
and electricity in some areas (4%). A few (2.2%) see this as requiring barangay
and municipal government officials to stop politicking and instead start fulfilling
their campaign promises.
39
Table 42. Community problems and aspirations, Buhi, 2008
Responses
Community Problems
Lack of job opportunities/alternative sources of income
Poor roads/drainage/streetlights/no regular public
transportation
Lack of medical supplies/no permanent medical
personnel/
Many bystanders/laziness/alcoholism/theft
Water pollution/improper waste disposal
Political disputes/bickering
None
Community Aspirations
Peace, unity, cleanliness
Enjoy good health
Prosperous Buhi/become a city
LGU/Bgy officials to fulfill their promises
Opportunities for employment/livelihood
Repair roads/drainage system/bridge/chapel
Put a health care center/“Botica sa Barangay”
Eliminate drug/alcohol abuse, gambling
None/Don’t know
Total do not add up to 100% because of multiple responses
Percent
35.8
21.0
13.4
16.3
0.6
0.6
12.1
51.9
2.7
3.8
2.2
20.5
8.0
4.0
2.0
4.9
Problems and Aspirations for Family and Self
Family Problems
Table 43 shows that, while over a third (33.5%) of the households in Buhi
claim that they do not have problems within their own family, a greater number
of households feel stressful about the fact that they are not earning enough to
sufficiently provide for the basic needs of their family (45.4%), or simply do not
have gainful work at all (6.5%). A few also feel anxious about not being able to
provide their family with adequate housing (8.2%) and proper medical care
(2.8%).
Aside from this, a few also face other problems within their own
households. Parents, in particular, are mostly disturbed by cases of early
marriages and alcohol abuse occurring among their children (3.1%). A few
women also admit to feeling distressed over their spouses’ habit of womanizing
and taking alcohol in excess, which in a few reported instances led to their being
physically abused by their male spouses (0.6%).
40
Family Aspirations
Asked about their own aspirations for their family, the responses of many
households reveal a simple and practical outlook in life. Most (31.8%) of the
households in Buhi want their spouse and children to become responsible
parents. Many (18.8%) express their desire for their family to enjoy a healthy and
long life. Many (18.4%) look forward to finally getting out of poverty, being able
to sufficiently provide for their family’s basic needs and still have some money left
as savings for their other future needs. Conceivably, it may be mainly because of
these aspirations that some (13.1%) households continue to seek for more gainful
jobs for themselves. Eventually, some (10.8%) wish they could attain peace and
unity within their family, and own a house and lot (5.7%).
Aspirations for Self
Table 43. Family Problems and Aspirations, Buhi, 2008
Responses
Family Problems
Low income
No job
Children are sickly
Do not own a house or lot/house is small for
family
Wife beaten by male spouse/womanizing
Family
not
united/alcohol
abuse
by
children/spouse
None
Family Aspirations
Good health/long life
Get out of poverty/afford to buy basic needs
Productive jobs/opportunity to work abroad
Own a house/home lot/repair house
Peace/unity among family members
Children/husbands
become
responsible
parents/spouse
Don’t know
None
Aspirations for Self
Good health/long life
Good paying job/go abroad/succeed in
career/business
Peace of mind
Get out of poverty/have food to eat
Serve as barangay official/mayor
Be a good wife/mother/get married
Courage to overcome difficulties/physical
Percent
45.4
6.5
2.8
8.2
0.6
3.1
33.5
18.8
18.4
13.1
5.7
10.8
31.8
0.7
0.8
43.1
33.6
14.7
2.0
1.4
2.5
0.7
41
handicap
None
2.3
Total do not add up to 100% because of multiple responses
Aspirations for self do not deviate largely from the aspirations for the
family. Most (43.1%) of the respondents want a healthy and long life. Many
(33.6%) also wanted to have a good paying job, an opportunity to work abroad
or to succeed in their present career or business. Some (14.7%) simply yearn for
peace of mind. For some women, becoming good mothers or wives or to get
married, are expressed hopes (2.5%). A few of the respondents want to have
the courage to face their difficulties in life (0.7%) while others went as far as
aspiring to serve their community as barangay officials or as mayor (1.4%).
Buhi’s Progress Towards the Attainment Of Goal 7 Target 11 of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDG)
Goal 7 Target 11 of Millennium Development Goals (MDG) articulates the
improvement of the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers by the year 2020 in
an effort to ensure environmental sustainability. According to the UN-habitat, this
figure is still a conservative estimate as this represents only 10 per cent of the
present worldwide slum population. But if such figure is left unchecked, it will
multiply threefold to 3 billion by the year 2050.
To monitor the progress towards the attainment of the MDG specifically
Goal 7, the UN Habitat and the Global Urban Observatory set forth some global
standards and indicators. These standards and indicators were then localized,
and other indicators were added to make it more adaptable and relevant to
the local settings. These localized standards and indicators are shown in Table
44.
Progress Indicators
Access to water. A household is considered to have access to improved
water supply if it has a sufficient amount of water of good quality and at
affordable rates available to household members without their having to be
subjected to extreme effort, especially women and children. Supply of water is
sufficient if a household uses at least 20 liters of water per day per person,
affordable if it constitutes less than 10% of expenditure, available if it is privately
connected to a water system, and of good quality if it is an underground
connection, clear, and without any strange taste and smell.
Access to Sanitation. A household is considered to have adequate
access to sanitation if an excreta disposable system in either private or public
form shared with a reasonable number of people, is available to household
members and is connected to an appropriate septic system which is made of
concrete.
42
Secure Tenure. Secure tenure is the right of all individuals and groups to
effective protection by the government against forced evictions. People have
secure tenure when there is evidence of documentation that can be used as
proof of secure tenure status, where there is either de facto (household has not
been evicted in the past 10 years) or perceived protection from forced evictions
(household does not foresee a possibility of being evicted in the next 5 years)
and the price of maintaining such is affordable (land and housing comprised less
than 30% of their expenditure.
Durability of Housing. A house is considered as “durable” if it is built on a
non-hazardous location, has a structure permanent and adequate enough to
protect its inhabitants from the extremes of climatic conditions such as rain, heat,
cold and humidity (house constructed from durable materials and not in need of
major repairs), and is constructed in a way that complies with regulations.
Sufficiency in Living Space. A house is considered a sufficient living area
for the household members if not more than two people share the same room
(house and bedroom floor areas are large enough for everybody to move
around, with at least 2 square meters allotted for each person and no more than
4 individuals sleeping in an open space).
43
Table 44. Localized Global Standard for Goal 7 Target 11 Millennium Development Goals
INDICATORS
INDICATOR A. ACCESS TO SAFE
WATER
A - All components are
adequate
NI - Most components are
adequate, only “quality” is
inadequate
IA - Other combinations
INDICATOR B. ACCESS TO
SANITATION
adequate
NI - One component is
adequate + one component
needs improvement
IN - Both components need
improvement/all components
are inadequate
INDICATOR C. SECURE TENURE
adequate
IA - One or more component is
inadequate
INDICATOR D. DURABILITY OF
HOUSING
adequate
NI - Most components are
adequate
INDICATOR E. SUFFICIENT LIVING
SPACE
A - “Overcrowding” component
is adequate
IA - “Overcrowding” component
is inadequate
INDICATOR F. ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT
COMPONENTS
COMPONENT 1. AFFORDABILITY
A - Water expenses less than 10% of total household expenses
IA - Water expenses 10% or more of total expenditure
COMPONENT 2. SUFFICIENT QUANTITY
A - Household uses at least 20 liters of water (drinking + other uses) per day
per person
IA - Household uses less than 20 liters of water per day per person
COMPONENT 3. EFFORT AND TIME
A - Private connection to water system
IA - Household has to fetch or but water
COMPONENT 4. QUALITY
A - Underground connection of water pipe + clear and pure water
IA - Inappropriate connection of water pipe and impure water
COMPONENT 1. ACCESS TO SANITARY TOILET
A - Household has own water sealed toilet shared by no more than 2 families
NI - Adequate toilet shared by more than 2 families/private alternative toilet
IN - No toilet/ no alternative toilet shared by more than 2 families
COMPONENT 2. SUFFICIENT SEWERAGE SYSTEM
A - Connection to appropriate septic system (all-concrete septic tank)
NI - Connection to inappropriate septic system (semi-concrete septic tank)
IN - No septic system
COMPONENT 1. DOCUMENTATION OF SECURE TENURE STATUS
A - Owner/Ownership process (with documents) for both land and house
IA - Stopped making payments/ No documents/ Renter/ Other status
COMPONENT 2. DE FACTO PROTECTION FROM EVICTION
A - Household has not been evicted in the past 10 years
IA - Household has experienced eviction for the past 10 years
COMPONENT 3. PERCEPTION OF PROTECTION FROM EVICTION
A - Household does not foresee the possibility of being evicted in the next 5 yrs
IA - Household foresees the possibility of being evicted in the next 5 years
COMPONENT 4. AFFORDABILITY
A - Housing and land expenses less than 30% of total household expenses
IA - Housing and land expenses 30% or more of household expenses
COMPONENT 1. NON-HAZARDOUS LOCATION
A - Housing lot location is safe and adequate
IA - Inappropriate or hazardous location
COMPONENT 2. MATERIALS USED/ PROTECTION FROM EXTREME CLIMATIC
CONDITIONS
A - House constructed from durable materials and not in need of major
repairs
IA - House constructed with recycled or salvaged materials/ Needs major
repairs
COMPONENT 3. COMPLIANCE WITH BUILDING CODES AND ORDINANCES
A - Construction complies with regulations
IA - Constructions does not comply with regulations
COMPONENT 1. OVERCROWDING
A - House and bedroom floor area is large enough for everybody to move
around, at least 2 sq. meters + No more than 4 persons sleeping in an open
space.
IA - Less than 2 sq. meters per person in house or bedroom/ More than 4
persons sleeping in an open space/ Other conditions
COMPONENT 2. ORDERLINESS
A - Enough space for movement in the house
IA - No enough space for movement in the house
COMPONENT 1. SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
A - Appropriate waste management (composting/segregation/ recycling)
NI - Truck or push-cart collection only.
adequate
NI - One component is
adequate + 1 component
needs improvement
IA - Other combinations
IA - Garbage burning/ Garbage thrown in sewer, river, vacant lot
COMPONENT 2. DRAINAGE SYSTEM
A - Covered drainage system with sufficient capacity ( no flooding)
NI - Open drainage with sufficient capacity (no flooding).
IA - No drainage/ Other type of drainage/ Insufficient capacity (flooding).
44
45
Environmental Management. A household is considered practicing sound
environmental management if it practices appropriate waste disposal
(composting, segregation, recycling) and has a covered drainage system with a
sufficient capacity to avoid flooding.
Depending on the components, indicators are measured on either a
scale of two (adequate, inadequate) or three (adequate, needs improvement,
inadequate).
Buhi’s Performance
Using the scale discussed in the preceding section, the data show that
more than half of the households (80%) are in need of improved access to safe
water (Figure 4). Only 20% of the households have adequate access.
The study revealed that Buhinons fare low in access to sanitation (Figure
5). Data show that access to sanitation needs improvement as indicated by a
large majority (46%) that still share toilet facilities with more than two families
and/or whose toilets have no concrete septic tank. Some (15.7%) simply do not
have adequate toilet facilities at all.
In terms of security of tenure, seven out of ten households (72.3%) have no
security of tenure (Figure 6). This means that these households have no full proof
of ownership of either the house or the lot (a document) and/or are in threat of
possible eviction in the next 5 years.
Seven of ten (75.3%) of the households have sufficient living space to
enable everybody to move around the house; around a quarter (24.7%) live in
an overcrowded area (Figure 7).
Durability of housing appears to be a major problem as 77.3% of the
households either lives in hazardous locations, use non-durable materials or live in
houses in need of major repairs. Only 3.7% have adequate housing (Figure 8).
In terms of environmental management, there is a lot more room for
improvement as almost all of the respondents (99.7%) admit not having access
to proper drainage system and not adhering to environmental regulations like
waste segregation and non-burning of garbage (Figure 9).
46
Performance against progress indicators, localized global standard for Goal 7
Target 11, Millennium Development Goals, Buhi, 2008
100
100
68.3
80
75.3
80
60
60
40
20.0
11.7
20
40
0
24.7
20
All compents are Most components
adequate
adequate, except
"quality"
Other
combinations
0
Adequate
Fig 4. Access to water, percent of
households, Buhi, 2008
Fig 7. Sufficient living space, percent of
100
100
80
80
38.0
77.3
60
46.3
60
Inadequate
40
19.0
40
15.7
20
20
3.7
0
0
All compents are
adequate
One component
needs
improvement
All compents are Most components
adequate
adequate, except
"Disaster
Preparedness"
All components
inadequate
Fig 5. Access to sanitation, percent of
Fig 8. Durability of housing, percent of
housholds, Buhi. 2008
100
99.7
100
72.3
80
80
60
40
Other
combinations
60
40
27.7
20
20
0.0
0.3
All compents are
adequate
One component
adequate + one
inadequate
0
0
All compents are adequate
One or more component
inadequate
Fig 6. Secure tenure, percent of
Other
combinations
Fig 9. Enviromental Mgt, percent of
47
Overall, access to water, access to sanitation, and security of tenure
needs improvement, while durability of housing and environmental
management are inadequate, and thus, need immediate attention. Only
sufficiency of living space is found adequate (Figure 10).
100
75
Adequate
Inadequate
50
25
0
-25
-50
-75
-100
-125
Access to water
Access to
sanitation
Durability of
housing
Sufficient living
space
Environmental
mgt
Secure tenure
Figure 10. Summarized Localized Global Standards and Indicators, Buhi, 2008
3. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Aimed at providing an updated profile of the Municipality of Buhi as input
for its development planning and as an attempt to measure Buhi’s performance
against the goal 7 target 11 of MDG, a survey of 300 samples was conducted.
Profile of the Respondents and Household Members. Rural respondents
and females dominate the samples. Average age is 46. Close to half (42.7%)
have, at most, attended elementary level education. Majority are working, most
of whom are engaged in agricultural livelihood activities. Most come from poor
socio-economic status, specifically Class D. Only one percent belongs to the
upper AB class. A large majority describe themselves as Bicolanos and Roman
Catholics.
48
Household size averaged at 5 members. Members of household are very
young, with 46.9% within the age range 0-17 years. Average age is 27 years.
Slightly more than half have, at most, attended elementary level education.
Among those belonging to the economically productive age (15-64), 39% are
gainfully employed, 16.9% are under-employed and 6.7% are unemployed; the
rest have either chosen not to engage in any form of gainful work or are
studying.
Income, Poverty and Hunger Situation. Household average monthly
income is estimated at P11,214 while average monthly expenditure is placed at
P9,637. Food and health care comprises the bulk of the expenditure. Only 16.3%
of the respondents claim to have some savings in the past 6 months, which are
mostly kept in the bank.
Nearly half of the respondents have outstanding loan, mostly with business
persons and microfinance institutions. The loan proceeds were used mainly to
meet basic needs (food, clothing, schooling, shelter, and health) and as
additional capital for one’s own business. Relatives still represents one of the
strongest support system of the respondents especially when under financial
stress.
Using the NSCB’s 2006 monthly per capita poverty threshold of P1,219 for
Camarines Sur, poverty incidence among families in Buhi is estimated at 51%,
which is higher than the province’s poverty incidence of 41% in 2006.
Comparison of mean and median income and the resulting Gini coefficient
(0.43) for the municipality reveal a wide income disparity among the population.
The results indicate that the benefits of growth are concentrated in the hands of
a few.
This implies that to effect significant change in the lives of the populace,
programs that redistribute income from the rich to the poor sectors of the
economy must be implemented.
Using the Self-Rated Poverty approach, 76.3% of Buhinons consider
themselves as “Poor,” with more females rating themselves as poor than males.
The high incidence of self-rated poverty is more pronounced among married
couples, agricultural workers and wage and salary earners in the non-agricultural
sector. The degree of poverty decreases with educational attainment, that is,
the higher the educational attainment, the lower is the incidence of poverty.
Median poverty threshold is at P11,250.
Hunger Proportion as recorded in this study is at a double-digit (23.3%).
Hunger is prevalent among Classes D and E, married and living-in couples,
households with seven or more members, and agricultural wage earners. While
hunger is moderate, the double-digit is alarming.
In terms of changes in the quality of life, there are more losers than
gainers, and more optimists than pessimists. Most of the gainers are females and
49
belong to the middle class. Notably, respondents belonging to class E are more
optimistic about the future.
Entrepreneurship. A large majority of those who are not engaged in any
form of business enterprise at the present time express the desire to start one of
their own such as convenience stores, buying-and-selling agricultural products,
swine or tilapia raising, food catering, and metal or wood crafting. The lack of
capital, however, serves as a major constraint. Other reasons include
preoccupation with domestic chores, lack of know-how, old-age or physical
disabilities.
Many of those who prefer not to engage in any form of business cite old
age as the main reason. Others mention the fear of losing money or going
bankrupt, preference for other type of work, preoccupation with domestic
chores, or the lack know-how in running a business.
Organizational Participation. Only 14.3% of the respondents are involved
in at least one organization in the community. Low participation rate is observed
among those in the age bracket 25-34 which may be attributed to their serious
preoccupation with their job and the building of their families. Among
socioeconomic groups, the low participation rate among classes D and E is also
observed and may be ascribed to the pressures of having to find work for their
daily subsistence. The high representation of women in organizations may be
due to a relatively larger number of female respondents. While membership in
organizations is dominated by women, managerial positions are largely
occupied by the men, except in women’s organizations. This is expected as men
have traditionally dominated the public sphere and women the private sphere.
The above findings suggest that for development efforts to be effective
and sustainable, a priori importance must be given to the active participation of
women, in particular. This could be done by mainstreaming their interest in the
local government’s development agenda, widening their avenues for
assumption of managerial positions both in politics and economics and
efficiently delivering the basic services.
Abused Women and Children. The high (58%) positive response on the
knowledge of the so-called Anti-Violence Against Women or RA 9262 (74%),
speaks of a well-informed citizenry. At the same time, personal knowlege of
actual cases of violence against women and children (VAWC) is low, which may
suggest that, by and large, the issue of VAWC is still clouded with silence. In the
few known cases of VAWC, physical abuse is the dominant form of abuse
inflicted on women and children.
It must be noted, however, that ending gender violence and child abuse
involves not only the intervention by the state and civil society but also the active
participation of the local community. Fighting gender violence and child abuse
is a gargantuan task as it is enmeshed in a seamless web with other factors in the
social, political, economic, cultural and spiritual realm. Among others, the
50
conscious awakening scheme must emphasize the structure of inequality
between and woman which weakens their struggle for survival and betterment.
Population Management. Buhinons in this study exhibit a high level of
awareness of contraceptives. Among various segments of the population,
females are more likely to be aware of contraceptives than males, the more
educated individuals than the less, and the upper socio-economic classes than
the poor. More than half of the respondents approve of the use of artificial
contraceptives, particularly among class E families. Oral pill is the most frequently
used method of contraception.
For a region with high fertility, there is a need to sustain the information
and education campaign on family planning to raise awareness among the
populace taking into consideration the religious values and beliefs of the target
group.
Problems and Aspirations. The lack of income or job opportunities, of
basic physical infrastructures and of access to transportation tops the list of
identified community problems. These are followed by the lack of medical
personnel and supplies in community health centers, the growing number of
bystanders, improper waste disposal practices, and political bickering.
The respondents aspire for a peaceful, safe and clean community where
they could live a healthy and productive life. They likewise aspire for a
community that promotes good governance. Aspirations for family and self are
mostly economic in nature that includes enjoying a long and healthy life, having
a good-paying job, getting out of poverty, and owning a house and lot.
Buhi’s Progress Towards the Attainment of Goal 7 Target 11 of the
Millennium Development Goals. Seven global and local indicators were used to
measure Buhi’s progress towards the attainment of Goal 7 target 11 of the MDG
namely: access to water, access to sanitation, secure tenure, durability of
housing, sufficiency in living space, and sound environmental practices.
Access to Water and Sanitation. While almost all households have access
to affordable, safe and clean water, only 24.3% have their own piped-in water
system supplied by the Buhi Waterworks. Water pipes are mostly placed
underground; only a few are reported to be installed exposed above-ground or
along canals/drainage systems. Water supply is sufficient with almost all of the
respondents reporting that they consumed at least 20 liters of water a day.
Majority own flush-type water sealed or simply water sealed toilets with
septic tanks. Only a few share toilets with their neighbors or use the open field.
Security of Tenure. While reportedly affordable, lot and housing tenure is a
problem to majority of the residents in Buhi. Only a third made claim to fully own
the house and lot that they are occupying at present, the rest are either renting
or squatting but with the owner’s consent. A few experienced having been
51
evicted from their residence and foresees the possibility of being evicted by the
owners of the lot or by the government in the near future.
Sufficiency of living space. Most of the dwelling units of the respondents
were found to have sufficient number of rooms and living space for the members
of the household.
Durability of Housing. Most of the respondents’ houses are made of
durable materials: roofs are made of galvanized iron/aluminum/concrete; outer
walls of concrete/wood. But many of these houses are in need of major repairs.
At the same time, a few are built in hazardous locations such as along the
river/lake or foothills and thus are susceptible to flooding and landslides,
respectively. A large majority of the respondents claim to be uninformed of the
local housing codes or standards.
In terms of disaster preparedness, almost all of the households say that
they are prepared to cope with natural hazards such as typhoons and flooding
known to frequently hit the area. Measures actually undertaken by households to
prepare for the hazard vary and include storing personal belongings in a safe,
dry place, reinforcing roofs and windows, identifying evacuation routes for the
family, and storing additional supplies of food, flashlights, batteries, candles,
firewood and medicines. But most of the households point out the need for the
local government unit to provide them with early warnings of any impending
hazard so as to allow them sufficient time to prepare.
Environmental Management. Six out of ten households still use unsound
waste management practices such as burning or simply dumping their garbage
in vacant lots, creeks or lake. Almost the same proportion lives in a place with no
drainage system, although only few actually complain of frequent flooding in
their area.
Among the environmental problems frequently identified by the
respondents are flooding, forest denudation, and improper garbage disposal.
and stagnant water during summer due to inadequate drainage systems.
Access to Other Basic Services. Buhinons are users of biomass energy
such as chcoal and firewood for cooking, being cheaper than the LPG as seen
in this study. Almost all of the respondents have access to various medical
centers, particularly the barangay health stations, and have availed of their
health services in the past year. They encountered no problems during their
visits, except for a few who complain of overcrowding and the lack of needed
medical supplies. Influenza, common cold, other respiratory diseases, diarrhea,
and hypertension are the top five major health problems frequently experienced
by the respondents.
Overall, access to water, sanitation, and security of tenure need
improvements while the durability of housing and environmental management
52
are found inadequate, and thus, need immediate attention. Only sufficiency of
living space is found to be adequate.
The above findings suggest that to further improve the municipality’s
performance in terms of delivery of quality water, it has to exert effort towards
enabling households to finance the installing of their own piped-in water systems
as well as of pipes below ground and away from canals or drainage systems.
Access to sanitation will be greatly improved by ensuring that household toilet
facilities are fitted with concreted septic tanks.
In order to improve the municipality’s performance in terms of durability of
housing as well as security of tenure, the local government may provide a
housing amelioration program. As an alternative credit window, this program
would allow families to acquire and/or improve their own house and lot. It should
also serve to ensure that homeowners have full documentation of ownership of
both house and lot. This program, however, will have to be implemented
alongside livelihood programs that would enable families to enhance their ability
to pay, among others.
Environmental management, on the other hand, may be improved by
increasing information campaigns and, at the same time, strictly enforcing waste
segregation laws. The installation of adequate drainage systems, especially in
areas affected by frequent flooding, must also be addressed.
53
References
Micro-profile of Buhi, Camarines Sur, Philippines.
http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/5520/start.htm accessed in July 21,
2008.
Municipality of Buhi Website
http://www.buhi.gov.ph/index.php?id1=17&id2=3&id3=0 accessed in July
21, 2008.
National Statistical Coordination Board – Regional Unit 5. Poverty Statistics.
http://www.nscb.gov.ph/ru5/updates/poverty/poverty.html accessed in
July 1, 2008.
Social Weather Station. 2007. Self-rated Poverty and Hunger.
http://www.sws.org.ph accessed in July 23, 2007.
Todaro, Michael. 1996. Economic Development (6th Edition). UK: Addison
Wesley Longman.
United Nations Development Program. Millennium Development Goals
Indicators.
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mdg/Host.aspx?Content=Indicators/OfficialList.
htm accessed in July 23, 2007.

Baseline Socio-Economic Situation of the Municipality of Buhi

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