VIOLENT discipline at home lowers Filipino children’s chances of staying in school by about half, according to a new study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).
Nearly two in five Filipino children experience physical or emotional violence from a parent by age 10—a form of early harm that significantly weakens their school engagement later on.
“While a child’s development is expected to flourish at home, for these children, home is where fear and harm begin,” said PIDS project technical specialist Aaron Carlos Manuel during a PIDS public webinar where the findings were presented.
He explained that “early childhood experiences shape mental health outcomes,” affecting how violence may influence emotional regulation, behavior, and engagement in school.
The study, “Early Harm, Lasting Impact: The Effect of Parental Violence on Educational Outcomes Among Filipino Children,” authored by Manuel along with Senior Research Specialist Lyle Daryll Casas and Senior Research Fellow Dr. Valerie Gilbert Ulep, draws from a long-term national study tracking nearly 5,000 children from late childhood to young adulthood.
Violence at home remains widespread
The study found that 39.5% of 10-year-olds experienced physical or emotional violence from a parent in the past six months.
The numbers stay high as they turn 11 and 12, and even as they grow older—35% in the second wave and 34% in the third wave of the study. The rate only drops around 27% in the fourth wave.
This mirrors global patterns, with “about half of the global child population experiencing some form of violence at some point in their lives.”
Early exposure weakens schooling outcomes
Children exposed to parental violence at age 10 were about 50% less likely to be enrolled in school by age 14 to 15. Most children remain in school overall, but those who are unenrolled are disproportionately from homes where violence occurs.
“For example, out of 1,000 children, enrollment is still very high at 96%. But among the few who are not enrolled, a larger share comes from the children who were exposed to parental violence,” Manuel said.
Both boys and girls show reduced odds of staying enrolled, though the link is statistically stronger for boys.
The study also shows that these children tend to start school with weaker skills. About 1 in 4 of them score low in math, reading, and science, and their average IQs are lower.
Later on, their school performance continues to trend lower, but the differences are not substantial enough to be statistically significant.
Call for better measurement and stronger interventions
Discussant Dr. Alejandro Herrin, visiting research fellow at the University of San Carlos-Office of Population Studies, emphasized the need to improve how the country measures violence, noting that current survey tools do not capture key elements such as intention and repetition. He also recommended examining violence alongside bullying by peers and adults.
“What is not clear is how close we are to measuring that concept,” he said, explaining that Philippine laws and international standards often include elements—such as “intention” and “repetition”—that are not fully captured in current survey tools.
He added that future analyses should examine violence alongside bullying by peers, adults, and classmates.
Furthermore, the study’s authors stressed the need for stronger prevention and support systems.
They highlighted the importance of early interventions combining positive parenting programs, school-based initiatives, and community support.
“To ensure the success, multi-sector collaboration is important… With the leadership of the DSWD and the DILG, [we need to strengthen data systems] to allow more comprehensive understanding of how violence really shapes learning trajectories,” Manuel said.
Watch the recording of the webinar at https://bit.ly/pidslive112725 and download the study at https://bit.ly/pidsdp2025-21. ### — MJCG
