The quality of life of children in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) deteriorated from 2003 to 2006 based on the Child Development Index (CDI). The CDI is a composite index which measures the overall state of child development in terms of education, health and quantity of life (i.e. income) as measured through the Child Health Index (CHI), Child Education Index (CEI), and Quantity of Life Index (QOLI), respectively. The CDI is estimated by the National Statistical Coordination Board.

CDI in CAR first increased from 0.739 in 2000 to 0.776 in 2003 then dropped to 0.706 in 2006. Based on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) classification1, the region’s CDI rated “medium” (CDI 0.5 - < 0.8) from 2000 to 2006. The fluctuation of CDI is attributed to change in children’s quality of life in terms of longevity and health life, access to education, and income of the family. Despite the decline in CDI, CAR maintained its #7 rank in 2003 and 2006 among the 17 regions.

CHI, which is measured using infant mortality rate and child mortality rate as indicators, declined from 0.990 in 2000, 0.986 in 2003, to 0.985 in 2006. The decline resulted from the doubling of the child mortality rate.

CEI, which is measured using net enrolment rate in elementary and secondary levels as indicators, sharply declined in CAR between 2000 and 2006. Although the region’s CEI increased from 0.721 in 2000 to 0.744 in 2003, it dropped to 0.561 in 2006. Both elementary and secondary net enrolment rates in the region decreased from 2003 to 2006.

QOLI, which is measured using poverty incidence among children as indicator, improved from 0.507 in 2000 to 0.598 in 2003 but declined to 0.571 in 2006. The poverty incidence among children in CAR increased from 2003 to 2006 but was less than the rate recorded in 2000.

The rights-based CDI, which is measured using indicators of accountability of duty bearers, continuously declined from 2000 to 2006. CAR’s rights-based CDI decreased from 0.693 in 2000, 0.712 in 2003, to 0.642 in 2006.

1 Using the Human Development Index (HDI) classification of levels of development