More than 13 million children in the Philippines live in poverty.

Research by a group of experts advising the Philippine government shows that approximately 13.4 million children (more than one-third of Filipinos under 18) live below the poverty line, despite strong economic growth in recent years.

Children in a slum in Manila, Philippines. (Source: marketplace.org)

Celia Reyes, a senior researcher at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies and lead author of the study, said the number of children living in poverty in the Philippines continues to rise despite the country's recent economic achievements.

Approximately 36% of children under 18 lack access to food, shelter, healthcare, and education.

The study, using data collected from national surveys and administrative records of various government agencies in 2009, shows that both the number and severity of child poverty in the Philippines have increased over the years.

According to the study, approximately 10 million children face at least two severe deprivations of basic necessities, while around 750,000 children face at least five deprivations of basic necessities simultaneously.

Approximately 4 million children lacked access to standard sanitation facilities, 4 million lacked access to clean water in 2009, 1.4 million lived in informal settlements, 6.5 million lacked electricity in their homes, and 3.4 million lacked access to information.

Regarding education, over the past 10 years, the percentage of students able to complete primary and secondary education has hardly improved, largely due to poverty. In 2011, approximately 5.5 million children were forced to work to supplement their families' income. This negatively impacts their ability to find better job opportunities in the future.

The study also indicated that poverty is largely prevalent in rural areas. It is estimated that three out of four children from poor families live in rural areas, and eight out of ten children suffer from severe lack of access to clean water and adequate sanitation.

According to Vietnam+