Philippines
The Edmund Rice Mission began working in the Philippines in 2005 with the set-up of the Kabankalan Project to assist out-of-school children and young people to access education. The Philippines now ranks as one of the most promising, newly-industrialised countries but still faces many economic and social problems.
Population: 94 million
Life Expectancy: 72 years
Infant Mortality Rate: 18 per 1000
Public expenditure on health: 3.6% of GDP
HIV/AIDS: 8700 people or less than 0.1%
Public Expenditure on Education: 2.7% of GDP
% of children primary school age not in school: 11%
Unemployment of youth 15-24 years: 17.4%