10 wasting, child stunting, and child mortality. Of these components, child stunting is the most  prevalent in the Philippines (80 percent), with more boys than girls affected (29.1 vs 31.5 percent).  This is alarming as child stunting is an indicator of chronic malnutrition.     In September 2017, the government raised the minimum daily wage in the National Capital Region  by PhP 21. This translated to a new minimum wage of PhP 475 to PhP 512, depending on the  11 category of employment. This increase was described by labor unions as token, a mere 4.27 percent  increase from the previous minimum wage rate. As such it will not significantly improve the living  conditions of workers vis-a-vs the growing inflation (3.5% as of October 2017). Already the  purchasing power of the minimum wage is equivalent only to PhP 354.41, based on the rates posted  12 by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the National Wages and Productivity Commission.     Resource ownership is a gender issue that intersects women’s poverty, household nutrition and  achievement of gender equality. Based on 2016 data, there are significantly more men than women  who are holders of emancipation patents (358,281 and 57,424, respectively) and certificates of land  ownership agreement (1,342,509 and 653,945, respectively) under the Comprehensive Agrarian  Reform Program.     Education and Literacy    Females outnumber males in terms of literacy and participation in formal education, based on the  2015 national census.     Table 1: Female and Male Participation in Formal Education in 2015    Female (%)  Male (%)  Literacy rate  98.4  98.2  School attendance  69.4  68.6  Baccalaureat holders  56  44  Post-baccalaureat holders  59  40.1    The same trend was observed in technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Based on  2013 data, there were more women than men who are enrolled or have completed their TVET  studies in TESDA. Women are often enrolled in TVET courses related to health, social and  community development services, compared to men who are mostly in tourism-related trainings  (e.g. hotel and restaurant).    Labor Force Participation  Lagrimas, N.A. (2017, 12 October) “PHL back among countries with ‘serious’ hunger issues, think tank says.” ​GMA  News Online.​ Retrived from  http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/629311/phl-back-among-countries-with-serious-hunger-issues-think -tank-says/story/   11 Wage Order No. NCR-21 / Implementing Rules. National Productivity and Wage Commission. Retrieved from  https://www.nwpc.dole.gov.ph/pages/ncr/cmwr.html   12 Pasion, P. (2017, 14 September) “P21 minimum wage increase granted to Metro Manila workers.” ​Rappler​. Retrieved  from ​https://www.rappler.com/nation/182191-minimum-wage-increase-granted-metro-manila-workers   10 6 RH Situationer: Phlippines (November 2017)