The Philippines fell to the 104th spot among 175 countries in the global ranking of the best and worst countries for children to grow up in, according to the latest report of Save the Children.
The Philippines dropped eight places from last year’s 96th ranking despite its economic development due to the increase in malnutrition and stunting, which now affects more than one in three children under the age of five across the country, the aid agency said.
The Philippines performed poorly in three different indicators: teenage childbearing, severe malnutrition and under-five mortality, Save the Children said.
“It’s really disappointing to see the Philippines slide backward in the index, and to see an increase in the stunting levels among children under five when so much work is being done to try to improve nutrition standards and reverse the trend,” Save the Children Philippines chief executive Alberto Muyot said.
“This situation is exactly why we need to see the ‘First 1,000 Days’ bill pass and become enshrined in Filipino law, and start to help to ensure that all children and pregnant women, especially the poorest, have access to proper healthcare and nutrition.”
In March, the Senate approved on third and final reading the Healthy Nanay and Bulilit Act, which seeks to provide comprehensive health care to cover covering the nine months of a woman’s pregnancy and her child’s first two years.
Singapore and Slovenia ranked first in the index, followed by Norway, Sweden, and Finland.
The bottom 10 countries were composed of the West, East, and Central African nations, with Niger ranking last for the second time in a row.