Economic Cost of Violence Against Women and Children in the Philippines in 2023

Date

6-2025

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Economics

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Aaron T. Castillo

Committee Member

Luisito C. Abueg, Gideon P. Carnaje, Ma. Angeles O. Catelo

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Abstract

Violence Against women and Children (VAWC) remains to be a pressing issue in the Philippines. According to NDHS (2022), one in every five women aged 15-49 experiences different types of abuse. While often regarded as a human rights issue, VAWC makes the economy bleed in silence. This study aims to estimate the national economic cost of VAWC in the Philippines for the year 2023 using the bottom-up approach, providing economic evidence for policymaking and proper budget allocation. Grounded in the methodologies of Figueroa-Yap (1998), Solano (2001), and Diez (2013), the study draws on ten case studies from survivors and integrates national data from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Direct costs - including medical care, shelter, transportation, and legal aid - were averaged at ₱11,120.20 per survivor monthly. Indirect costs, including lost income, productivity loss, and unpaid domestic work, reached ₱235.1 to ₱244.6 million.

When combining both direct and indirect costs, the estimated economic cost of VAWC in the Philippines in 2023 varies widely depending on the data source. Conservative estimates based on reported cases from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) place the cost at ₱2 billion (0.012% of GDP) and ₱388.3 million (0.0016% of GDP), respectively. However, after adjusting for underreporting using prevalence rates from the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), the total economic cost surges to an estimated ₱1.3 trillion - equivalent to 5.39% of the country’s GDP.

Language

English

LC Subject

Women's rights--Philippines, Violence in children, Economic assistance

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2025 E2 O73

Notes

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Document Type

Thesis

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