The Philippines found itself still 44th -- retaining its position in the 2013 inaugural report -- among 96 countries in Global AgeWatch Index 2014, which added Bangladesh, Iraq, Zambia, Uganda and Mozambique to the list.
But it was fifth among 23 Asian countries on the list, holding the same place as in 2013.
Countries were gauged against 13 indicators grouped into four key measures, namely:
• “income security,” which includes existence and coverage of a pension system, poverty rate, and consumption;
• “health status,” which measures how many years a person aged 60 can expect to live;
• “capability,” which measures older people’s education and skills, access to the labor market and therefore their ability to supplement pension income with wages, as well as their access to work-related support networks; and
• “enabling environment,” which covers support from relatives and friends, physical safety and access to public transportation.
The Philippines, the report said, got its highest marks in the “enabling environment” domain (15th from 21st in 2013) “with above average values for all indicators.” Its score of 77.3% in this field is slightly higher than 2013’s 76.3%.
It also ranks a relatively high 18th (though down from 17th in 2013) in the “capability” domain “with above average values in the employment (66%) and educational attainment (49.5%) indicators.” The Philippines scored 50.2% in this area, compared to 58.6% last year.
The country ranks low in “income security” at 73rd (flat from last year), “with low pension income coverage (28.3%) and higher-than-average old age poverty (13.7%) for its region” and an overall score of 41.9% (up from 37.5% in 2013).
“Many low- and middle-income countries introduced contributory pension systems a long time ago... However, with the exception of some countries in Latin America and the former Soviet Union, pension coverage has remained extremely low,” the report noted.
“In low- and middle-income countries, only one in four people over 65 receive a pension. Even in the more affluent countries of Colombia and the Philippines, only around one in five older people are covered.”
It also noted that “[c]ountries such as Bangladesh, Kenya, Peru and the Philippines target social pensions to the very poorest,” but clarified that “[b]y design, such schemes fail to cover those who are neither well-enough off to receive a contributory pension, nor poor enough to be eligible for the social pension.”
The Philippines got its lowest rank in “health status” at 76th (from 70th), with a 31.9% overall score (from 36.9%) due to “below average value of life expectancy indicators,” though it got “above average value for the psychological wellbeing indicator.”
The study estimated that there are 6.6 million Filipinos over the age of 60 this year, a complement that is expected to grow to 9.6 million in 2030 and to 13.7 million in 2050.
Topping the list this year is Norway, which was followed by Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Iceland, the United States, Japan and New Zealand, which rounded up the top 10.
At the bottom 10, in descending order, were Iraq, Zambia, Uganda, Jordan, Pakistan, Tanzania, Malawi, West Bank & Gaza, Mozambique and Afghanistan.
The report said the 96 countries on this year’s list represent 91% or nine out of 10 people aged over 60 across the world.
“Specific policies need to be put in place to address the implications of aging,” said the report, published on Oct. 1 -- the United Nations International Day of Older Persons. -- with AFP
source: Businessworld
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