Health of adolescents in the Phillipines

The Philippines is an archipelago nation comprising 7107 islands divided among three island groups(Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao) located in South-East Asia. With a relatively stable birth and death rate,the population has been increasing at a steady 2% for a decade, one of the highest in Asia. Between 1990 and 2007, the under-5 mortality rate decreased from 62 to 28 per thousand live births. The adult literacy rate is 94%, similar to other South-East Asian countries. In 2010, inward remittance flow amounted to US$ 21.3 billion, making the Philippines the fourth largest remittance recipient,according to a report by the World Bank. Remittances have helped lift households out of poverty in the Philippines.