Child Poverty and Public Finances in the Regions of the Philippines

Highlights

The Study on Child Poverty and Public Finances in the Regions of the Philippines was conducted by UNICEF in close collaboration with the Department of Budget and Management, Philippines. It examines child poverty trends across the regions of the Philippines and analyzes how these trends align with patterns of public spending and intergovernmental fiscal transfers. By linking multidimensional child poverty data with regional public finance, the study provides an evidence base for assessing equity gaps and strengthening child-responsive public financial management in the context of ongoing fiscal decentralization reforms in the country.

Support from the EU–UNICEF Public Finance Facility

This study was supported by the European Union and UNICEF under the EU-UNICEF Public Finance Facility for South and Southeast Asia, a regional initiative aimed at contributing to the realization of children’s rights through improved use of public budgets. Through this partnership, the Facility supports governments and partners in advancing reforms that enhance the efficiency, accountability, and child-responsiveness of public finance systems. This includes strengthening budget analysis, generating evidence to inform policy and budgeting decisions, and promoting evidence-based policy dialogue and knowledge sharing across the region.

The implementation of this Public Finance Facility in the Philippines is being led by the Department of the Budget and Management, with support from the European Union and UNICEF Philippines.