The Philippines does not have a well-developed social security system for its elderly citizens.
Historically, the Filipino elderly have been dependent on their children or co-resident kin for
economic, social and physical support. However, it has been observed that as long as elderly
parents own land or have means of support, they tend to maintain their own household. This
household may either be nuclear or extended. In either case, they are able to retain their
authority over their adult children.
In the Philippines, the elderly population has been steadily increasing in both size and proportion.
The 2000 census enumerated about 4.6 million persons aged 60 years and over. This number
represents 6 percent of the total population in 2000 (76.5 million). The 2000 figure is about 900
thousand larger than the 1995 census figure of 3.7 million. The 1995 proportion is slightly lower,
at 5.4 percent. In 1960, only 4.3 percent of the 27.1 million Filipinos were in the ages 60 years
and over.
This study aims at examining the living arrangements of persons 60 years old and over in the
Philippines using data from the 2000 Census of Population, and their socio-economic status. The
living arrangements will be described in terms of the type of the household they belong to and the
position they hold in their households. That is, for instance, whether elderly person is the head of
household, the spouse of the household head, the parent of the head, or ‘other relative’ of the
head.
The socio-economic status will be described in terms of whether the elderly is a gainful worker or
not, the tenure status of the housing unit or lot they occupy, and a poverty measure based on the
2000 census data on housing conveniences. The incidence of poverty among the elderly will be
described. The study will determine if there is a difference in the living arrangement between
elderly persons who are considered as economically well off and those who are not. The study
will also examine if the living arrangement vary with advancing age. The analysis will be carried
out in terms of the age groups 60-64, 65-69, 70-79 and 80 years or older.