Scholarlink

<p>Water privatization in Metro Manila is regarded as a successful case of utility reform, with notable improvements in service delivery. Yet its health impacts, especially for children vulnerable to waterborne diseases, remain underexplored. This paper assesses whether the reform reduced diarrhea incidence among children under five. Using nationally representative data from the 1998 and 2002 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS), we apply a difference-in-differences (DD) strategy to estimate the causal effect of privatization. Results indicate that the reform reduced diarrhea incidence among children under five by 1.8 to 2.1 percentage points, equivalent to nearly half of the prevailing proportion of children with diarrhea in 1998. While privatization in Metro Manila delivered measurable short-term health gains, it also underscored the importance of strong governance, regulatory oversight, and institutional capacity to sustain such benefits. Private participation may therefore be considered only as part of a broader strategy to improve water service delivery and health outcomes under well-functioning regulatory and institutional frameworks.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Water policy reform’s effect on child health

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月19日

查看全文
  • Karl Robert L. Jandoc,
  • Michael Ralph M. Abrigo

摘要

Water privatization in Metro Manila is regarded as a successful case of utility reform, with notable improvements in service delivery. Yet its health impacts, especially for children vulnerable to waterborne diseases, remain underexplored. This paper assesses whether the reform reduced diarrhea incidence among children under five. Using nationally representative data from the 1998 and 2002 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS), we apply a difference-in-differences (DD) strategy to estimate the causal effect of privatization. Results indicate that the reform reduced diarrhea incidence among children under five by 1.8 to 2.1 percentage points, equivalent to nearly half of the prevailing proportion of children with diarrhea in 1998. While privatization in Metro Manila delivered measurable short-term health gains, it also underscored the importance of strong governance, regulatory oversight, and institutional capacity to sustain such benefits. Private participation may therefore be considered only as part of a broader strategy to improve water service delivery and health outcomes under well-functioning regulatory and institutional frameworks.