what is poverty in the philippines essay

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The outreach blog : from the field, the state of poverty in the philippines: what are the causes.

The Philippines and its roughly 117,000,000 people have struggled with income inequality for generations. Even as infrastructure and opportunity has improved in highly populated areas in recent decades, poverty in the Philippines, particularly for people living in remote areas, remains a serious issue.

In this blog post, you’ll learn about the complex issue of chronic poverty in the Philippines, its causes, and its impact on families. Additionally, you’ll see how Outreach International is working to alleviate poverty in this Southeast Asian nation.

Decoding Poverty: A Deep Dive into the Statistics

According to the World Bank , between 1985 and 2018, the poverty rate in the Philippines declined by two-thirds, thanks to economic growth initiatives and investment in infrastructure, including education. However, the improvements were largely focused in the most populated areas, where the most opportunities already existed. According to the Asian Development Bank , the top one percent of earners have benefitted the most, capturing 17 percent of the national income, while only 14 percent of national income is obtained by the lowest-earning 50 percent of the population.

The Philippines’ income inequality stems from several structural factors. Higher education and job skills development remain out of reach for many. Unequal access to college, and social norms that leave women at a disadvantage, also contribute to persistent inequality. And the geography of this archipelago nation makes the issue even more difficult to solve, as opportunities and natural resources are unevenly distributed.

Understanding the Impact of Family Poverty

Family poverty is not just about financial struggle. It affects every aspect of a household’s well-being. Children who live in poverty are less likely to enroll in school and reach age-appropriate grade levels because their time is needed to help the family strive to meet their basic daily subsistence needs. This stifles their access to higher education and the future opportunities it would bring, limiting earning potential, the potential economic growth of families, and the possibility of community development.

Managing Resources: Addressing Poverty in High Population Areas

Population density has a significant impact on poverty in the Philippines. High-population areas often struggle to manage limited natural and government resources, which negatively impacts quality of life. And a lack of job opportunities in densely populated areas contributes to poverty rates. These challenges trickle into remote areas, making it even more difficult for rural communities and marginalized people to break their own unending cycle of poverty .

Living Conditions and Resource Challenges

Living conditions in densely populated areas of the Philippines are affected by resource scarcity and inadequate government support systems. Access to basic necessities like electricity, safe drinking water, and quality education remains uneven. This scarcity not only limits the potential for development across the nation but also perpetuates inequality. As a result, impoverished communities face daily struggles, making it all the more challenging to break free from the cycle of poverty.

The Pandemic’s Impact: A Crisis Amplifying Poverty

The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on poverty in the Philippines. In 2020, the pandemic halted economic growth, leading to even higher unemployment rates. As this trend continued into 2021, poverty rates rose to 18.1 percent (World Bank). This amounts to just under 20 million people. And though the economy continues to recover, this recovery is uneven, with the poorest households benefiting the least. As improvements are bringing many areas back to normal, communities in many remote areas still struggle to bring their economies back to even just the already challenging pre-pandemic levels.

One constant struggle for families living in poverty is food insecurity. And according to sources such as the National Library of Medicine , this became even more significant during the pandemic. Almost two-thirds (61.2%) of households experienced moderate to severe food insecurity during the many months of quarantine. And with rising food prices and limited natural resources, vulnerable households often had to limit their food intake. This caused a lack of proper nutrition, particularly for children. Outreach International has implemented an effective method of combating food insecurity for even the most impoverished families. Our partners in OPI have helped community-led organizations develop rice loans . These are low-interest loans of rice or the funds to buy it. And because the communities manage these loans themselves, borrowers can avoid predatory outside lending institutions and can deal with people they know and trust.

Initiatives That Changed the Reality

In response to the challenges posed by the pandemic, both the Philippine government and organizations like Outreach International have implemented various initiatives to alleviate poverty and its effects. Some organizations have provided health services and relief assistance to affected communities. Such initiatives are essential in mitigating the immediate impact of the crisis and helping vulnerable populations in the short term.

But Outreach International also focuses on more long-term and sustainable initiatives that can forever break the cycle of poverty . Our methodology of community-led development allows people who live in chronic poverty to learn that they have the power within themselves to improve their lives permanently. Our partners in the Philippines, Outreach Philippines Incorporated (OPI), work with leaders in communities to identify their own unique poverty-related issues, and then mobilize to solve them. They learn how to develop networks with government agencies and NGOs that are able to provide resources. And they learn how to set ever-increasing goals of improvement, leading to continuous development that is sustainable for generations.

Join the Cause: How You Can Help

You can choose to play a role in alleviating poverty in the Philippines. And there are so many ways to help , from donating to Outreach International to fundraising to volunteering . By working together, we can collectively make a difference in the lives of those affected by poverty in the Philippines.

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KEY FINDINGS Overcoming Poverty and Inequality in the Philippines: Past, Present, and Prospects for the Future

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• The Philippines has made significant progress in reducing poverty, but income inequality has only recently begun to fall. Thanks to high growth rates and structural transformation, between 1985 and 2018 poverty fell by two-thirds. However, income inequality did not begin to decline until 2012. It is still high: the top 1 percent of earners together capture 17 percent of national income, with only 14 percent being shared by the bottom 50 percent.
• Several structural factors contribute to the persistence of inequality. The expansion of secondary education and mobility to better-paying jobs, citizen ownership of more assets and access to basic services, and government social assistance have helped reduce inequality since the mid-2000s. However, unequal opportunities, lack of access to tertiary education and a scarcity of skills, coupled with inequality in returns to college education, gendered social norms and childcare, and spatial gaps, sustain inequality.
• Inequality of opportunity limits the potential for upward mobility. While there has been considerable progress in expanding access to basic services such as electricity, safe drinking water, and school enrollment, large disparities limit the development of human capital. Inequality of opportunity and low intergenerational mobility waste human potential, resulting in a lack of innovation and a misallocation of human capital in the economy.
• While schooling is widely accessible, its quality and attainment vary by income group. Children from poorer households are less likely to be enrolled and, if they are, to reach age-appropriate grade levels. That means they are less likely to reach tertiary education, which severely constrains their earning potential and their prospects for upward mobility. With the relatively low share of workers with tertiary education, the premium for college education has remained high. Additionally, tertiary education tends to deliver much higher returns for rich than poor households, possibly due to differences in school quality or f ields of study and employment.
• COVID-19 partly reversed decades-long gains in reducing poverty and inequality. The pandemic halted economic growth momentum in 2020, and unemployment shot up in industries that require inperson work. In 2021, poverty rose to 18.1 percent despite large government assistance. The economy has begun to rebound but signs are emerging that the recovery will be uneven. Prolonged loss of income has taken a heavy toll on the poorest households. With food prices going up and a reliance on adverse coping strategies, among them eating less, there is a risk of serious consequences for the health and nutrition of children in vulnerable households.
• The shock from the COVID-19 pandemic led to a shift in the workforce to less productive sectors and occupations. Employment in wage work has notably decreased and employment in agriculture has risen. These trends have been concentrated among youth and the least educated, which suggests an uneven recovery and widening income inequality.
• The pandemic is likely to result in long-term scarring of human capital development. Over half of households estimate that their children learned from remote learning less than half what they would have learned from face-to-face schooling. The proportion increases to 68 percent in poor households. Extended distance learning is expected to have reduced the learning-adjusted years of schooling by over a full year. Learning loss, combined with the de-skilling associated with prolonged unemployment, could lead to sizable future earnings losses.
• Job polarization could further increase as the nature of work changes. Job polarization among wage workers emerged between 2016 and 2021: employment in middle-skilled occupations went down and employment in both low-skilled and high-skilled occupations went up. This pattern may rise with the transformation of jobs post-COVID-19 and could increase prevailing disparities in incomes.
• Policy can reduce inequality by supporting employment and workers, improving education access and quality, promoting inclusive rural development, strengthening social protection mechanisms, and addressing inequality of opportunity.

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Poverty and inequality in the Philippines

The new World Bank (WB) report “Overcoming Poverty and Inequality in the Philippines: Past, Present, and Prospects for the Future” is a welcome reminder of what is needed for the country, and the government’s urgent agenda on the dual malaise of poverty and inequality. This had been a persistent challenge to the country, not only historically but also comparatively in the context of the Asean, especially its original neighbors in the region.

The WB paper is well-organized, starting with trends in the past 30 years, the present structural causes, future prospects, and policy recommendations. First, poverty rate declined from 49.2 percent in 1985 to 18.1 percent in 2021. Inequality (Gini index) at 42.4 percent in 1985, after climbing to 49.2 percent, trended back down to 42.3 percent in 2018. The shift of workers, including the poorer ones, to more productive sectors with wage income, besides expanded subsidy, largely accounted for the reduction in poverty. As well, better access to services and assets helped the downtrend in inequality to its previous level.

Nonetheless, the Philippines ranks as the 15th most unequal of 63 countries. More than half of laborers with only elementary schooling or less are in agriculture. Household heads who are college graduates have average per capita income fourfold higher than for household heads with no more than elementary education.

Inequality begins early in life and typically is sustained over the life cycle, starting with antenatal care and postnatal care which are disproportionately accessible to poorer families and mothers with lower education. Which leads to markedly higher rates of stunting, underweight, and wasting among poor families. Then children of poor households are greatly disadvantaged as regards schooling that links to future work and income opportunities. All this leads to intergenerational transmission of poverty.

Unequal distribution of hospitals, health centers, and educational institutions across subnational regions/provinces further worsens poverty and inequality. One bright note is that the Philippines is first in gender equality in Asia and 19th in the world. However, while women have generally higher education attainment than men, their labor force participation rate has been lower.

While the WB paper is an edifying read, it has a limited past perspective, thereby ignoring the population factor, which has made a crucial difference in the current state of the country vis-à-vis its Asean neighbors that used to trail it. The Philippines initiated population management-cum-family planning (PM-FP) program in 1970, along with other Asean countries. However, while the others sustained their programs over time without letup, the Philippines was constrained to jettison its own program in the late ’70s on orders of President Marcos Sr., who acceded for political expediency to the demands of the Catholic Church hierarchy.

In 1970, the Philippines’ population was 36.6 million and Thailand’s was 36.9 million. It had a gross national income (GNI) per capita of $220 close to Thailand’s $210, and both countries had identical poverty incidence at 13 percent.

Indonesia, with a very expansive land area (or resource base), had a much larger population of 115 million and also initiated its PM-FP program in 1970, but its GNI per capita was only $80. Malaysia, with a much smaller population of 11 million in 1970, started its program in 1966, and its GNI per capita was $370.

Fast forward to 2020, the foregoing indicators had dramatically diverged. Philippine population ballooned to nearly 110 million, while Thailand’s rose to slightly less than 70 million. GNI per capita was $3,430 in 2020 ($3,850 in 2019) for the Philippines, and $7,050 ($7,407 in 2019) for Thailand. On the other hand, poverty rate was estimated at 18.1 percent in 2021 (16.7 percent in 2018) for the former, and 8.8 percent in 2020 (6.2 percent in 2019) for the latter.

Indonesia’s population increased to 274 million in 2020. Its GNI per capita rose sharply to $3,870 in 2020 ($4,050 in 2019). Its poverty rate at 13 percent in 1970 was brought down to 9.8 percent by 2020. Malaysia’s population was up to 33 million in 2020, and its GNI per capita escalated exponentially to $10,580 ($11,230 in 2019), which enabled Malaysia to drastically cut its poverty rate to 8.4 percent in 2020 from a high of 49.7 percent in 1970.

The foregoing indicators show that the Philippines had the fastest growing population (threefold in 50 years) and also the largest relative to land area in all of Asean. As regards economic indicators, it has considerably lagged behind its original Asean neighbors, being the last to achieve demographic transition, thereby falling to bottom of the pile from the top in the ’60s to mid-’80s. One wonders, therefore, why the WB paper has eschewed the population factor in their analysis of poverty and inequality. It can be recalled that in the mid-1960s through to the mid-1990s, the World Bank had a major population program touted as a success in many developing countries, save the Philippines, unfortunately. So, is the program now regarded as an “elephant in the room” sleeping and not to be disturbed?

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Ernesto M. Pernia is professor emeritus of economics, University of the Philippines Diliman, and former secretary of socioeconomic planning, National Economic and Development Authority.

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What Has Really Happened to Poverty in the Philippines?: New Measures Evidence and Policy Implications

July 31, 2013.

Poverty is increasingly recognized as a multidimensional phenomenon, yet its assessment continues to be conducted almost exclusively in terms of income (or expenditure). This practice is prevalent partly because low household incomes are casually associated with other deprivation indicators, such as low levels of literacy and life expectancy.

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Poverty, Government and Unequal Distribution of Wealth in Philippines Essay

Poverty data gathering tools, etiologies of poverty, programs to alleviate poverty.

Filipinos are in grave situations of poverty as of now. According to UNDP statistic last 2004; the numerical rate 36.8% is the poverty level of the entire Filipino population. Crude estimation of this count into raw rate is 70 million Filipinos are below poverty line. However, statistics do not reveal the complex nature of poverty; indeed, it is a mistake to assume that poverty can be measured in monetary definitions (Eadie 35).

The Philippines provides a concrete example of GDP growth that did not reduce poverty, although the economy recorded growth of more than 4% in 3 of the past 4 years. The 2003 FIES illustrates average family incomes to have increased by only 2.5% over the 2000 level, while the CPI shows an inflation rate of 13.9%. Judging all these data obtained, it is therefore almost certain that the poverty level has increased during this period. It most likely has increased by a greater level than from 1997–2000, when average family incomes has grown by 18%, inflation has been 22%, and the poverty incidence of the population has increased by 1% (Poverty in the Philippines 2). The author of the book Poverty And The Critical Security Agenda , Eadie (33), added:

Quantitative analyses of poverty have become more sophisticated over the years to be sure, yet remain problematic and in certain ways rooted in assumptions of rational choice behavior. For instance, poverty can be measured through simple income and expenditures or poverty line however; this does not account the expenditures on those goods and services that are variables for well-being such as food and education. Negative expenditures, such as alcohol or cigarettes, also play part in the considerations.

With this, various instrumentations are being utilized to assess the conditions of poverty. Subjective claims remain to be weak basis if it is not validated. Subjective inferences are those data obtained from the subjects but have no specific proofs or reference in any study done by trained individuals. Objectivity is a must in statistical gathering however, if this is not provided proper validation, still the data remains to be weak basis (Maglaya 176).

Poverty measurement practices for determining the numerical data partly reflect what we know – or think we know – about inequality and poverty profiles in the Philippines. According to Edmonds in his book, Reducing Poverty in Asia: Emerging Issues in Growth, Targeting, and Measurement , the phase of assessment usually involves the set poverty lines and welfare indicators. This is where statistics label an individual poor. Such considerations are dealt first before producing such claims (Eadie 198).

In terms of welfare indicators, determining the magnitude of poverty and inequality the government uses current household incomes and expenditures via national surveys. Using standard arguments in microeconomic theory, it can be concluded that since welfare level are being determined by “life-cycle” or permanent income, and since current consumption is a good approximation of this income, current consumption can be better justified as a measure of current welfare. This, however, does not suggest that income does not vary over time. It does, and sometimes these changes are largely comparable to the former (p.198-199).

Talking about setting poverty lines, this does not depend on subgroup’s conditions or to which standard of living do they belong. Poverty lines constructed for various subgroups must be fixed in terms of given standard of living. These set are said to be consistent and imply the same command over basic necessities of consumptions. It is well known that as household income rises, the consumption of cheap and low quality goods decrease and the families focus more on the quality products that they can still afford. These are some of the scenarios that indicating the dynamic characteristic that affects poverty lines (Eadie 200).

Another sophisticated data-gathering tool in quantitative diagnosis of poverty conditions is by the use of Human Development Index (HDI) that has been introduced by ul Haq in the 1990s. This involves the consideration of life expectancy, literacy rate and GDP per capita. The HDI is now being used by the United Nations Development Programme or UNDP, to rank countries in terms of their economic development status. According to the 2004 Human Development UNDP repot, the Philippines has been ranked 83 rd and considered to be a medium development country. The advantage of this tool is the test of comparison between different countries annually. However, the negative aspect that coincide in this method it its limitation towards other factors such as domestic variations that exists between different regions, rural and urban areas that exist in the household. This primarily occurs because of the generalized perspective of this intervention (Eadie.39-40).

Filipinos are usually known for their extravagant fiestas and their various tourist attractions. The proud natural resources have lured “balikbayans” or Filipinos from abroad and tourists. Adding into that are the OFW or Overseas Filipino Workers that produce additional income for the country through remittances. Aside from the macro-economical income source of Philippine government, such conditions give off pseudo-economic boost for the country’s economy. DFA or Department of Foreign Affairs has estimated that there are 5,488,167 Filipinos working overseas that are scattered to over 193 countries during 2002 (Arya 72). The question left for the public is where does this sum of money go considering that the incomes both internal and external are present? Such question triggers the public minds that usually cause demonstrations and governmental blame.

Another factor to be considered is the Philippine international debts that primarily occurred during the time of Marcos and has progressed in the current regime. Sad to mention but as of today, Filipinos are part of the 100 most heavily indebted poor and middle-income countries that must service over 2.3 trillion American dollars in combined debt-stock yearly (Debt for Equity Eadie). According to an online data, Poverty in the Philippines , economic growth has become insufficient in order to support the population growth of the country: GNP per capita has lingered at around $1,000 for the past 20 years and has not even increased. Disasters that have occurred are one of the main reasons that tarnished the economy of the Philippines. Importantly, the crisis came at the same time as the devastating El Niño drought during mid-1990s. This evidently caused domino effect in the economy of the Philippines in which decline has been the particular evident strata. Here is the list of the chronic macroeconomic problems in the Philippines that have long been occurring:

• Gradually diminishing revenue collection inducing fiscal deficit and heavy public sector debt
• Low investment environment that results in particularly low foreign direct investment
• Inactive loans in the banking firms
• Chronic loss of international competitiveness
• Corrupt structural governance and inefficient economic management

In the article found in the official website of the Philippine government (27) entitled, Poverty alleviation tops PGMA’s main goals in the next 3 years, proclaims the president’s own statement regarding her programs and future programs for the alleviation of poverty.

She said increased government earnings or revenues either through raising the effective collection of taxes or sale of government assets is necessary component of poverty alleviation. With the raised revenues, she said the next important thing to do in the next three years is to invest more in human resources and physical infrastructures to create jobs and upgrade the country’s competitiveness. She said social services, like making cheap medicines available, improved healthcare and anti-hunger campaign, which are already being addressed by her administration, are also important components of the poverty reduction program of her administration.

The president’s statement has been questionable to most of the public and the tarnished trust of the people’s body has greatly affected the initiations of this plan. People’s cooperation has become difficult to initiate due to the governmental corruptions that have occurred. The effectiveness of such programs being implemented by the Philippine government has seen to be effective however, only for a short time (Glatzer 124). Most of the programs regarding poverty alleviation are still ongoing as per current administration. Target outcomes of these projects are 2010. However, according to some critics, the results so far of these projects are not yet being that evident (Debt for Equity…27).

The poverty status of the Philippines has not yet been alleviated. The condition of poverty still affects more almost half of the Filipino population. The inequalities of resources partitions are not specific hence; the divisions of such are also affected. The question about the condition of poverty and inequalities in the Philippines is now answerable by the summary of the crude poverty rate 40% and 70 million poor families living in this country. These poverty claims are being validated by the use of Human Development Index (HDI) that are also being utilized by the (UNDP) United Nation development Programme in order to obtain their data. Various notes are important upon the obtaining of these data such as welfare indicators and setting of poverty lines. The probable etiologies of this poverty in terms of macro-economical scope, as addressed in the body of study, are the following gradually diminishing revenue collection inducing fiscal deficit and heavy public sector debt, low investment environment that results in particularly low foreign direct investment, inactive loans in the banking firms, chronic loss of international competitiveness and the corrupt structural governance and inefficient economic management. There are programs being initiated to combat poverty situations however, as according to the study the results seem to be not evident especially for the public’s perspective. Poverty still lingers and unequal distribution of resources are still present in the Philippine society.

Arya, Sally. Living Home: Filipino Women Surviving Migration. In M. C. Pagaduan (Ed.), Poverty, Gender and Migration (pp. 72). Sage Publications Inc, 2006.

Arya, Sally. Poverty, Gender and Migration . Sage Publications Inc, 2006.

Barcelon, Ed. Fight Philippine poverty.(Voice from the South). Manila Bulletin . 2007. Web.

Debt for Equity in MDG Projects; A Philippine Proposal for Converting 50 percent of the Debt Owed by the 100 highly indebted countries to equity investments in the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations.(Opinion & Editorial) [Letter to The Editor]. Manila Bulletin .2011. Web.

Eadie, Peter. Poverty And The Critical Security Agenda . Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2005.

Edmonds, Cedric. M. Reducing Poverty in Asia: Emerging Issues in Growth, Targeting, and Measurement . Edward Elgar Publishing, 2003.

Glatzer, Walter. Rich and Poor: Disparities, Perceptions, Concomitants . Springer, 2002.

Maglaya, Allan. S. Nursing Practice in the Community . Marikina City: Argonauta Corporation, 2005.

Orbeta Jose., H. C. Family, Vulnerability and Family Size: Evidence from the Philippines. In H. Khan (Ed.), Poverty Strategies in Asia: A Growth Plus Approach (pp. 72). Edward Elgar Publishing, 2006.

Poverty-in-the-Philippines: Causes of Poverty in the Philippines . 2011. Web.

Poverty Strategies in Asia: A Growth Plus Approach . 2010. Web.

Son, John.Philippines: For Growth to Continue, Poverty Rate Must Come Down. Inter Press Service English News Wire , 1997, pp. F3.

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IvyPanda. (2022, January 9). Poverty, Government and Unequal Distribution of Wealth in Philippines. https://ivypanda.com/essays/poverty-government-and-unequal-distribution-of-wealth-in-philippines/

"Poverty, Government and Unequal Distribution of Wealth in Philippines." IvyPanda , 9 Jan. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/poverty-government-and-unequal-distribution-of-wealth-in-philippines/.

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IvyPanda . 2022. "Poverty, Government and Unequal Distribution of Wealth in Philippines." January 9, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/poverty-government-and-unequal-distribution-of-wealth-in-philippines/.

1. IvyPanda . "Poverty, Government and Unequal Distribution of Wealth in Philippines." January 9, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/poverty-government-and-unequal-distribution-of-wealth-in-philippines/.

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Essay about Poverty in the Philippines for Students

Poverty in the Philippines Essay

The Philippines is a string of over 7100 islands in Southeast Asia. The country lies between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Only one-third of the islands are inhabited.  Based on statistics given by World Bank the poverty rates reduced to 21.6% in 2015 from 26.6% in 2006.

Essay about Poverty in the Philippines for Students in English

Even if the poverty rate decreases every 1 out of 5 people in the Philippines are still below the poverty line. The people who cannot fulfill their basic needs like food, water, clothing, shelter, and education are said to be below the poverty line.

Causes of Poverty in the Philippines

Poverty is a very big problem in the Philippines. There are multiple causes of poverty in the Philippines and poverty affects life in the Philippines in a very adverse way.

One of the main reasons for poverty in the Philippines is corrupt politicians. The greedy people in power only think of themselves. They use their power and utilize government funds for self-interest. They make millions and billions of dollars and poor people who voted for them starve to death. Corruption is also a major reason for poverty in the Philippines.

Citizens of the Philippines are also responsible for poverty in their country. The Philippines is an overpopulated country there is a lack of family planning and no sex education at all. Which results in a tremendous population explosion. It is difficult for any government to satisfy the need of such a large population with limited resources.

Consequently, Poverty increases in the country. The numbers of jobs are constant and the population of the country is increasing day by day which results in more unemployed educated youth this also adds to the poverty of the country.

Reasons for Poverty in the Philippines

On the one hand, the government in the Philippines is not able to create enough government jobs and the standard of education is decreasing rapidly. When a person does not meet the standard required for a government job. He does private jobs here and there and earns less amount of money.

Eventually, the Philippines is a country prone to natural disasters and climate change. Due to sudden climate change or natural disasters the agrarian society of the Philippines has to suffer a lot. Farmers have to face great loss due to climate change if Famer does earn enough money he cannot provide his family basic facilities which add even more trouble to his life and the cycle of poverty continue.

Poverty is the problem of not just one person but the whole country. It slows down the economic progress of the country. It also increases the crime rate when people don’t have their aspirations fulfill they try to steal things. This results in increasing the rate of crime. Poor areas have poor sanitation facilities due to which disease spread easily.

Solutions to Poverty in the Philippines

Poverty is the problem of the whole country, not just one person hence government must take some essential steps to eradicate poverty. Not just government but the citizens of the country should come forward and vote for the right candidate. The leaders of the people should be servants of people, not their boss.

Corruption must be curb by electing an educated and responsible political leader. Who will work with transparency and think of national interest before self?  Citizens of the country must be well educated about family planning and disaster management. If we have to annihilate poverty from Philippine society then good governance and proper education are the two major steps that we have to take.

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Essay on Poverty In Philippines

Students are often asked to write an essay on Poverty In Philippines in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Poverty In Philippines

What is poverty.

Poverty means not having enough money for basic needs like food, water, and a house. Many people in the Philippines live in poverty. They struggle every day to eat and have a safe place to sleep.

Why is Poverty a Problem?

When people are poor, children might not go to school, and sick people can’t get medicine. This makes it hard for the country to grow stronger because its people are not healthy or educated.

Causes of Poverty in the Philippines

In the Philippines, poverty comes from not enough jobs, natural disasters like typhoons, and sometimes, government leaders not helping enough.

Fighting Poverty

To fight poverty, the Philippines needs more jobs, better schools, and help from the government. Everyone must work together to make sure no one is too poor to live a good life.

250 Words Essay on Poverty In Philippines

Poverty means not having enough money to meet basic needs like food, clothing, and a place to live. In the Philippines, many people face this problem. It is a big challenge for the country.

Why are People Poor in the Philippines?

There are many reasons why people are poor. In the Philippines, jobs that pay well are hard to find. Farmers might not have enough land to grow food. Natural disasters like typhoons and earthquakes destroy homes and farms, making things worse.

Life of Poor People

Poor people in the Philippines often live in small houses with many family members. They might not have clean water or enough food. Children might not go to school because they have to work to help their families.

What is Being Done?

The government and other groups are trying to help. They give food, help people learn skills for jobs, and build houses. They also work on making sure everyone can go to school.

How Can We Help?

Even if we are young, we can help by understanding and sharing what we know about poverty. We can also join in activities that raise money or collect things to give to those in need.

In conclusion, poverty in the Philippines is a big problem that affects many people’s lives. By learning about it and taking action, we can help make things better for those who are struggling.

500 Words Essay on Poverty In Philippines

Understanding poverty in the philippines.

The Philippines, a country with over 7,000 islands in Southeast Asia, is known for its stunning beaches and friendly people. But behind the beautiful scenery, many Filipinos face a tough challenge: poverty. Poverty means not having enough money to meet basic needs like food, clothing, and a safe place to live.

Why Are People Poor?

There are many reasons why people in the Philippines are poor. A big reason is that there are not enough jobs that pay well. Many people work in farming or fishing, but these jobs don’t always make enough money to support a family. Also, natural disasters like typhoons and earthquakes happen often and can destroy homes and crops, making it hard for people to earn money.

Life for the Poor

Life can be very hard for poor people in the Philippines. They might live in homes that are not safe or clean. It’s also hard for them to get good food, which means kids may not grow as they should. Going to the doctor can be too expensive, so many stay sick longer than they need to. Education is another problem. Even though school is supposed to be free, there are still costs like uniforms and books, which can be too much for poor families.

The government and other groups are trying to help. They have programs that give money to poor families if their kids go to school and get health check-ups. There are also projects to create more jobs and to help farmers grow more food. But these efforts need to reach more people and work better to really solve the problem.

What Can Others Do?

People from other countries can help too. They can give money or things that poor families need, like clothes or school supplies. They can also teach skills to adults so they can get better jobs. Even kids can help by learning about poverty and sharing what they know with friends and family.

Hope for the Future

Even with poverty, many Filipinos are hopeful. They work hard and believe that life can get better. With help from their own country and people around the world, there is a chance that poverty in the Philippines can be reduced. This means more Filipino kids could grow up healthy, get a good education, and have a better chance at a bright future.

In conclusion, poverty in the Philippines is a big problem, but it’s not impossible to fix. By understanding the issue, seeing how it affects people’s lives, and working together to help, we can make a difference. It’s important for everyone, including students, to know about these challenges and think about how they can help make the world a better place for all.

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The Causes and Effects of Poverty in Philippines

Table of contents, some major causes of poverty in the philippines, lack of education, effects of poverty in the philippines, the lack of education in the philippines quality of education, malnutrition, poor economic growth, child labor, bad living conditions, crime/ theft.

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Social Equity in the Philippines: A Continuing but Elusive Promise

• First Online: 26 May 2019

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• Alex B. Brillantes Jr 2 ,
• Maria Victoria R. Raquiza 2 &
• Maria Pilar M. Lorenzo 3  

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In this chapter, Brillantes, Raquiza, and Lorenzo focus on the imperatives of social equity as a fundamental—but normative—principle for contemporary Philippine public administration. The pursuit of social equity may be seen as a response to the problems of pervasive poverty and inequality in spite of, paradoxically, rapid economic growth. The chapter cites two government programs that ostensibly aim to bring about social equity, the Conditional Cash Transfer program and the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law. Evidence has shown that both programs have yet to make a significant impact to redistribute wealth in a lasting way within the context of social equity. Hence, the chapter argues that social equity in the Philippines is a continuing process but remains an elusive goal.

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These senior scholars of public administration included Raul P. de Guzman, Onofre D. Corpuz, Ledivina V. Carino, Nestor N. Pilar, and Romeo B. Ocampo whose essays addressing the question were included in a special issue of the Philippine Journal of Public Administration , 30, p. 4, October 1986.

Ledivina C. Carino, Maria Concepcion Alfiler, Nestor Pilar, and Emmanuel Buendia led the calls to indigenize and localize the theory and practice of public administration in the Philippines. The Philippines Journal of Public Administration devoted a special issue on the search indigenous forms of governance and public administration: Domingo, M.O. (2004). Indigenous Leadership and Governance. Philippines Journal of Public Administration, 48 , 1–2. Manila: PJPA.

Brillantes and Fernandez ( 2008 ) argued that the homegrown movement called Gawad Kalinga (which means “to give care”) was an example of a uniquely Philippine governance (civil society taking the lead here, in partnership with government and business sectors) approach that bore distinctive traits of Philippine public administration with a very distinct social equity character. Founded by Antonio Meloto, GK has been recognized not only locally but internationally as well.

The New Public Administration (NPA) movement emerged in the US in the late 1960s and early 1970s during the Minnowbrook conference where social equity emerged as a normative base of public administration (Frederickson 2010 , p. 3).

Over the years, Brillantes and Perante-Calina have argued for the imperatives of equity, ethics , and accountability to be among the classic 3Es of management. This has been included in the public sector reform framework. See, for instance, Alex, Brillantes Jr., and Lizan, Perante-Calina. “Antonio Meloto: Empowering the Filipino Poor Toward Sustainable and Innovative Communities” in Ayano et al. (eds.), Knowledge Creation in Community Development. Institutional Change in Southeast Asia and Japan , Palgrave: Macmillan. (2018), where our public sector reform framework has been developed.

We use praxis liberally to suggest the combination of “theory and practice” of public administration.

That Philippine “independence ” was set by the Americans to coincide with American independence day was no coincidence. This essentially reflected America’s desire for its erstwhile colony to continue to reflect the image and values of its former colonial master. This has since been rectified by President Diosdado Macapagal in the early 1960s by announcing the date of independence of the Philippines as 19 June 1898, when the Philippines declared its independence from Spain after the Philippine revolution. Strangely, on the Philippine side, July 4 has been declared as “Philippine-American Friendship day” naively celebrated only by the Philippines, betraying the continued colonialism still present in the Philippines.

The Philippine civil service and bureaucracy was set up by the US at the turn of the century on 19 September 1900 with the Act No. 5 entitled “An Act for the Establishment and Maintenance of an Efficient and Honest Civil Service in the Philippines”. Its structure and processes were largely patterned after the American civil service , including the adoption of the principles of efficiency and meritocracy in the civil service.

Poverty incidence is the proportion of families/individuals with per capita income less than the per capita poverty threshold to the total number of families /individuals.

According to the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC), Filipino Muslims are “not integrated as one definable and united society” but possess characteristics endemic to them such as “1. language 2. political structure 3. history and degree of Islamic integration with cultural traditions and customs already existent. Each of the subgroups has been proud of its separated identity and conflict between communities has been endemic throughout Philippine Muslim history. However, there common experiences, especially in relation to non-Muslim Filipinos, have somehow brought them together time and again” on (27 January 2019 from http://www.muslimmindanao.ph/Islam_phil2.html )

Today, reducing poverty in the short- to medium-term stages of the program objective has since been dropped. The program is currently presented as a ‘human development measure to improve the health, nutrition and the education of children aged 0–18’ (Accessed at: http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/programs/conditional-cash-transfer/ Downloaded: 14 May 2018). The program’s other objectives are to provide cash assistance to poor families ‘to respond to their immediate needs’ and to address ‘intergenerational poverty cycle by investing in the health and education of poor children’.

Even if the country’s poverty incidence, as measured by the Philippine Statistics Authority, declined from 26.3 to 21.6 at the end of 2015, this could not be attributed to Pantawid Pamilya given the findings of the two earlier impact evaluations and the fact that was no other impact evaluation was conducted to cover 2015 when the 2015 PSA finding on poverty was released.

Infrastructure here covers personnel, facilities, and supplies.

US$ 1 = PhP 53.13 (2 November 2018 conversion rate).

Since 2003, Gawad Kalinga has been receiving various awards, some of the most prominent ones are the following: 2006 The Outstanding Filipino Award (TOFIL) Awardee for Community Service, 2006 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership, 2009 Hilton Humanitarian Award Finalist, 2010 Reader’s Digest Asia Philippines’ Most Trusted, 2010 Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, 2010 Asia CEO Awards, 2010 Ernst & Young’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines, 2011 Nikkei Asia Awards, and 2012 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship.

In the back cover of the book Social Equity in Public Administration (Frederickson 2010 ) the following “for whom” questions were raised within the context of social equity: “Social equity values have to do with the fairness of the organization, its management, and its delivery of public services. Social equity asks these questions: For whom is the organization well managed? For whom is the organization efficient: For whom is the organization economical? Are public services more or less fairly delivered?”

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Brillantes, A.B., Raquiza, M.V.R., Lorenzo, M.P.M. (2019). Social Equity in the Philippines: A Continuing but Elusive Promise. In: Johansen, M. (eds) Social Equity in the Asia-Pacific Region. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15919-1_11

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Poverty in the Philippines Essay – 1040 words – Essay On Poverty in the Philippines

Poverty is perhaps the most major burning issue in Philippines. The present scenario of poverty isn’t comfortable here. Corresponding to its temperament, destitution in the Philippines emerged from the fast populace development in the country. Poverty is the burning issue in philippines.

The impacts of it are truly noticeable in nature. Neediness makes numerous Filipinos not seek after their schooling. Others appear to be satisfied with their lives as poor. Numerous guardians can’t bear to send their kids to class in light of the fact that, of the monetary issue. The greater part who are influenced by this issue is the individuals who are living in the mountain regions. Some of them live miles from schools.

This is on the grounds that it is simpler for them to take than to go through finding or discovering a line of work. Destitution and wrongdoing have an exceptionally “private” relationship that has been portrayed by specialists from all fields, from sociologists to business analysts. The UN and the World Bank both divisions have a position high off the wrongdoings on the rundown of obstructions to a nation’s turn of events.

This implies that legislatures attempting to manage destitution regularly likewise need to confront the issue of wrongdoing as they attempt to foster their nation’s economy and society overall, the additional time you spend at school the less vicious you will turn into. Schools don’t simply show you history or math, they show you how to live in the public arena. In any case, the genuine issue is kids in poor metropolitan regions in any event, going to class by any stretch of the imagination? Are they acquiring any friendly abilities while being methodically segregated?

Individuals living alongside contaminated spots are influenced by their ill-advised cleanliness and metropolitan tenants are considerably more influenced by their lacking admission of quality food sources. The absence of admittance to exceptionally nutritious food varieties, particularly in the current setting of rising food costs, is a typical reason for ailing health. Helpless taking care of practices, for example, deficient breastfeeding, offering some unacceptable food varieties, and not guaranteeing that the youngster gets sufficient nutritious food, add to ailing health. This is the motivation behind why numerous youngsters kicked the bucket, it is a regional youngster every year.

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Essay On Poverty In The Philippines

Contrasted and kids whose families had salaries of essentially double the neediness line during their youth, helpless kids finished two less long stretches of tutoring, acquired not exactly half so much, worked 451 fewer hours out of each year, gotten $826 each year more in food stamps as grown-ups, and are almost multiple times as prone to report helpless by and large wellbeing. Helpless guys are more than twice as liable to be captured.

For females, destitution is related with a more than fivefold improvement in the probability of bearing a youngster without any father present before age 21″ (Duncan, 93). Without a doubt, youngsters experiencing childhood in neediness come from single-parent families. The impacts of destitution take an instrument since no one needs to be poor so individuals take the necessary steps to take care of their families whether it be selling drugs or burglarizing individuals will take the necessary steps to remain alive. The Causes and Effects of Poverty

Currently, destitution is perhaps the most shocking issue on the planet. There is a colossal number of individuals that bite the dust each year because of the absence of good guidelines for living like schooling, occupations, food, and medical services. Numerous nations all throughout the planet have an assortment of individuals who need assistance to live in troublesome conditions. Be that as it may, very few individuals from created nations help these sorts of individuals who are out of luck. Destitution has an assortment of causes, and it additionally has many adverse consequences.

Poverty in the Philippines Essay

A few factors that brought about the drop in neediness are the extension of occupations outside the farming area, government moves and getting qualified Filipinos to help through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. This specific program which is an administration cash-present venture has diminished neediness by 25%.

 A large portion of the Philippines is hit with huge tropical storms and still have a furnished clash. These situations are a genuine battle to the regular specialist who, even following a monotonous day, actually returns home poor. Because of these elements, numerous residents wind up leaving behind ranch work and go get work in assembling centres in the metropolitan spaces of the country. These positions outside the horticultural vault have represented 66% of the advancement in lessening neediness in the Philippines.

One of the critical procedures to help cut down neediness in the Philippines is giving conception prevention to poor people. In an extreme move for the intensely populated Catholic country, the President made promptly accessible anti-conception medication to almost 6 million ladies who can’t bear the cost of it.

Giving contraception is a useful asset for families who currently have full command over family arranging. The expectation is by giving the ladies and nuclear families more control, they will have fewer youngsters. This, thus, will imply that families can give all the more mindfully. This new approach will help the public authority arrive at its objective of lessening destitution by 13% by 2022.

The current Filipino populace is at 104 million and keeps on increasing at a disturbing pace of 1.7 % every year. This new law will empower families to control the number of kids they need. It will likewise ideally bring down the populace rate to 1.4 per cent every year once the government completely execute the law.

Despite the fact that the Philippines have buckled down in the past to lessen their neediness and stay aware of their neighbours China, Vietnam and Indonesia, they actually have far to go. Marak K. Warwick of The World Bank accepts that with a strong establishment there is motivation to be hopeful that the Philippines can accomplish their objective.

The objective for the Philippine government is to make more positions, further develop efficiency, put resources into wellbeing and sustenance while zeroing in on diminishing neediness. On the off chance that the public authority can execute its arrangements effectively, it is fit for decreasing destitution in the Philippines by 13 to 15 per cent by 2022.

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Poverty In The Philippines Essay Example

• Pages: 7 (1715 words)
• Published: December 17, 2016
• Type: Research Paper

Poverty reduction has been a major problem for all developing countries. As Kofi Annan stated “The biggest enemy of health in the developing world is poverty” (Kofi Annan, cited in WHO, 2013). Poverty is experienced all over the world but its effect is most significantly seen in developing countries like Philippines, one of the nations with a high rate of poverty according to World Health Organisation.

Addressing this problem poses an extensive standing struggle to the Philippines since this has been the primary objective of previous administrations. According to Schelzig (2005), the Philippines has obvious unequal income distribution which supports the conclusion that the Filipinos in the lower distribution is highly susceptible in impoverished living conditions and depravity from basic sustenance and necessities, leaving households vulnerable (Schelzig, 2005).

tyle="text-align: justify">Over the past decade, since Philippines embraced the millennium development goal of the United Nations to eradicate poverty and to improve the lives of its people, issues on poverty and hunger have become more and more prominent in rural and depressed areas, despite of the improvement of its economic status and the implementation of programs to address these problems, poverty rate has not been reduced to what is expected.

Based on the information that I have collated, this essay will show statistical status of poverty, examine and/or discuss briefly the primary causes of poverty, programs that is in place to address poverty and the obstacles faced by the government in implementing those programs to ease the suffering of the people. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is created to deliver the whole United Nations with a blueprint to work collaboratively towards

a common objective to fight against poverty and starvation, illnesses, illiteracy, ecological deprivation and discrimination against women.

Basically to improve lives of the people around the world specially to the developing and underdevelop countries, agreed to try to achieve by the year 2015. (World Health Organisation, 2013). Poverty – defined by European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) poverty has two types; absolute and relative poverty. “Absolute poverty is when people have shortage or even absence of basic human needs for existence”. Example of basic needs are: food, shelter, clothing and medicines to stay alive. Relative poverty is when some people’s way of life and income is so much worse than the general standard of living in the country or region in which they live that they struggle to live a normal life and to join in social, economic and cultural activities” (EAPN, 2013). The Asian Development Bank (ADB) defined poverty as “deprivation of essential assets and opportunities to which every human is entitled” (ADB, 1999). Corruption – commonly defined as the misuse or mishandling of civic office for personal advantage (World Bank).

As Kaufmann and Siegelbaun (1996) stated that “from this definition it should not be concluded that corruption cannot exist within private sector activities. It also exist in activities regulated by the government. In several cases of corruption, the abuse of public power is not necessarily for one’s private benefit but it can be for the benefit of one’s party, class, tribe, friends, family” (Kaufmann and Siegelbaun, 1996).

The Philippines is an island nation with the combination of “interracial mixture of prehistoric Negritos, Indonesians, and the Malays, the Filipino people were born” and

it’s been a country of interest of other powerful nations (Nebres, Zulueta, 2008) Possibly the reason why the Philippines has never really taken control of its own economic, political, and social liberalisation is that the nation has been attacked with nonstop and unforeseen experience from the plans of other countries. The impact of these nations and states in the country gave the Philippines a very small room to be unique in its traditional culture.

Hence the case of American and Spanish cultures and values, which remain to exist at present (Ramos, 2010). From the time when it gained independence from the United States in 1946, the Philippine economy has been on an unlucky course, going from one of the wealthiest nations in Asia (next to Japan) to one of the poorest. Progress directly after the war was fast, but reduced over time. Years of economic mishandling, corruption and political instability during the Marcos dictatorship regime contributed to economic stagnation and resulted in national instability (United States Department of State) (n. ).

However, economic suffering did not hinder Filipinos from seeking better opportunities elsewhere in the world. This was the starting point for the ongoing growth of the Filipino migration in the Western world. Based on National Statistics Office, Filipinos living outside the country is eleven million of the total population (NSO, 2009) Philippines is a democratic country and it is a legitimate nation with an executive structure. The Philippine government was indeed rooted in history from the Spanish invaders, and both disagreeable and influential.

As Endriga writes that “the outstanding characteristics of the Spanish colonial regime […] was the wide discrepancy between

the letter of the law, which upheld idealistic and noble standards, and actual practice, which was repressive and oppressive” and he notes “ [w]e really have a system that is excessively dominated by the presidency, one that is almost a dictatorship”(Endriga, 2001). In relation to this, according to McCoy (1995) it is also a method in which certainly not escape from the harm called “traditional politics” - the idea of civic influence being exercised for the advantage of a few clans and allies.

And he also say that “the subversion of the public weal in the service of private, familial wealth. ” Filipinos also termed this practice as a "Political dynasty", the same with oligarchy in dogmatic discipline. It is a tradition for a legislator's descendant, partner, associate, or relatives, to have or to run the similar or other administrative position (unknown source). Philippines is moving forward from agrarian centered to more on service and industry. The total number of workers in the country is around 38. 1 million. Rural sectors comprises 32 percent but only contributes about 13. of GDP. While the 13. 7 percent is on industrial sector and credits for 30 percent of GDP.

Meanwhile the remaining 46. 5 percent is in the service division and are accountable for 56. 2 percent of GDP (UN, 2006). According to Aldaba (2009) and Schelzig (2005), some of the main cause of poverty are: High population growth rate; control concerns comprising dishonesty and a frail government; persistent blows and experience to hazards and threats such as financial crisis, conflicts, and natural calamities; failure to develop the agriculture sector.

In the past several

years, the country experience so many problems – from worldwide financial crises, increased petroleum and food prices, political shames, and overwhelming natural disasters. These have aggravated the condition of those people already in extreme situation and dragging even more people into poverty. That is why government effort seem either too weak or useless to even cause a slight improvement to the lives of the people (Datu, 2010). However, international organisation have been working with the Philippine government to continue to pursue its goal to reduce poverty in the country.

The Philippines has been on a constant chase of poverty improvement. However, with the recent international financial crisis, continuous severe natural disasters, and escalating fuel and food prices, the government’s goal of decreasing poverty is becoming more difficult since these situations have been dragging more individuals into poverty (Rivera, Pizarro, Aliping, Reyes, 2012). The National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) recently released an official poverty statistics that the annual per capita poverty threshold goes up by 26. percent from 2006 to 2009, equated to 21. 6 percent between 2003 and 2006. And 26. 5 percent of the total population or an equivalent of 25 million poor Filipinos live below poverty line (NSCB, 2009). Although poverty incidence between families has slightly declined from 2006 to 2009, the scarcity occurrence amongst the inhabitants has improved by 0. 1 percentage point (NSCB, 2009). And is still comparatively high compared to that of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam as per the reports from the United Nations development Program (UNDP, 2009).

Sustenance rate or percentage of nourishment of poor family has enhanced since 8. 7 percent in 2006 to 7.

9 percent in 2009. And according to the report solitary household per 100 was raised out of foodstuff scarcity between the periods of 3 years. And in relation of poverty occurrence among families, there was an insignificant drop to 20. 9 percent in 2009 from 21. 1 percent in 2006. And based on these statistics two families were shifted out of poverty per 1000 in the above period (UNDP, 2009). Moreover, subsistence incidence among population has slightly enhanced from 11. percent in 2006 to 10. 8 percent in 2009. And based on these data one in 100 Filipinos stepped away from the poverty line during these period (UNDP, 2009). Although the general movement of poverty rates is going downward, the decline has not been persistent enough to give the country a better chance of attaining the MDGs (Datu, 2010). Moreover, about 75 percent of all poor families live in rural areas (UNDP, 2009). As Aldaba cited, “important economic growth only happened in sectors and areas far from where the poor are.

Poverty is an agricultural occurrence” (Aldaba, 2009). Government programs and initiatives towards the alleviation of poverty has been laid since the country embraced the United Nations Millennium Development Goal. Based on the data that I have gathered, Philippines is really struggling to reduce poverty because of the obstacles that hinders development. The government is lacking the drive to push the programs and initiatives of domestic and international organisations. They should address first the real cause why these programs were not successful.

They should create a concrete solution to overcome these hindrances like corruption, overpopulation. Poverty cannot be reduce whatever programs they create

if they don’t know the real cause of it. The programs should focus most on rural and depressed areas. Allocate more monetary support on education, health, and social awareness. Poverty is a real huge problem worldwide especially to the developing countries. Poverty is a broad problem that should be address in many ways. That is why this is the primary millennium development goal of the United Nations.

Poverty has been the long standing struggle of the country because the government don’t have a clear direction to fight this overwhelming crisis. Despite the improvement of its economic status and the implementation of programs to address this crisis, poverty has not been significantly reduced to what is expected. The Philippines is still left behind by its neighbouring countries in terms of poverty reduction. If these obstacles that hinders progress in reducing poverty is not overcome, more and more Filipinos will suffer from the horrifying effects of poverty.

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