When community transmission of COVID-19 became apparent in the Philippines, older persons were deemed most vulnerable mainly because they tend to have comorbidities that make them at higher risk to COVID-19 infection. Around the time the NCR was placed under ECQ, there were already 142 COVID-19 positive cases all over the country. These infected individuals have a median age of 50 with women slightly older than men (51 vs 50 years).

Over time and as the number of cases increased, the distribution across age groups has shifted, skewing towards the younger population. In mid-July 2020 or 4 months after various levels of community quarantine were imposed, the median age of COVID-19 positive individuals has declined to 37 years old. By then, COVID-19 positive women are found to be two years younger on average than men, in contrast to the pattern found four months earlier.

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The previous research brief sheds light on the limitations of the BP² by discussing the results of the 2018 NMS. This research brief delves further into the determinants of internal migration in the Philippines, particularly patterns of recurrent movements by highlighting the demographic and social groups that are more likely to move and what the findings imply for policymaking and/or crafting programs for equitable urban and rural growth.

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In this research and policy brief, we looked at results of the 2018 National Migration Survey (PSA & UPPI, 2019) to highlight migration patterns of Filipinos and how a program on regional development such as the “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa” fits in this narrative.

The University of the Philippines Population Institute (UPPI) and the Demographic Research and Development Foundation (DRDF), intending to contribute to the understanding of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippine context, are compiling infor

Hand washing is important for the prevention of many infectious diseases. Even prior to the coronavirus outbreak, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has been advocating for the practice of hand washing with soap and water as a very simple and highly effective means to control the spread of infectious diarrheal diseases and acute respiratory infections among children. In the time of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Department of Health (DOH) recommends regular hand washing with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds as one of the main protective measures against infection with the novel coronavirus.

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