short essay about poverty in philippines

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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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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.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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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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PHILIPPINES: Reducing Inequality Key to Becoming a Middle-Class Society Free of Poverty

MANILA, November 24, 2022 – Policies that support employment and workers, raise education quality and improve access, boost rural development, and strengthen social protection can reduce inequality, thus enhancing Filipino peoples’ chances for improving their well-being.

In a report titled “Overcoming Poverty and Inequality in the Philippines: Past, Present, and Prospects for the Future” released today, the World Bank said that the Philippines has made important gains in poverty reduction. Driven by high growth rates and the expansion of jobs outside agriculture, poverty fell by two-thirds—from 49.2 percent in 1985 to 16.7 percent in 2018. By 2018, the middle class had expanded to nearly 12 million people and the economically secure population had risen to 44 million.

Yet inequality remains 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. With an income Gini coefficient of 42.3 percent in 2018, the Philippines had one of the highest rates of income inequality in East Asia.

“The Philippines aims to become a middle-class society free of poverty by 2040, but we know from global experience that no country has managed to make this transition while maintaining high levels of inequality,” said Ndiamé Diop, World Bank Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand . “Inequality of opportunity and low mobility across generations wastes human potential and slowdown innovation, which is crucial for building a competitive and prosperous economy that will in turn improve the well-being and quality of life of all Filipinos.”

The report highlights that the expansion of secondary education, mobility to better-paying jobs, access to basic services, and government social assistance have started to reduce inequality since the mid-2000s. However, unequal opportunities, slow access to tertiary education among low-income households, inequality in returns to college education, and social norms putting the heavier burden of childcare on women has slowed down the narrowing of inequality in the Philippines.

Despite the strong recovery of growth and the labor market, COVID-19 pandemic has partly reversed decades-long gains in reducing poverty and inequality in the Philippines. It halted economic growth momentum in 2020, and unemployment shot up in industries that require in-person work. In 2021, the national poverty rate rose to 18.1 percent despite government assistance.

Recovery in the Philippines is uneven across the income distribution and the poorest who suffered the most from COVID have yet to fully recover their incomes. With food prices going up, many families coped by reducing their consumption, including eating less. These coping strategies can have serious consequences on the health and nutrition of children in these vulnerable households.

The report says that inequality starts even before birth and is perpetuated over the life cycle. It starts with maternal nutrition and health during pregnancy. Differences continue into childhood, where disparities in access to health care, proper nutrition, safe drinking water, sanitation, and quality education determine the extent to which a child’s human capital develops.

“Inequality shapes outcomes later in life, such as employment opportunities and income, which in turn influence how much support adult Filipinos are able to provide for their children to help maximize their potential,” said Nadia Belhaj Hassine Belghith, Senior Economist with the East Asia Poverty Global Practice covering Thailand and the Philippines who led the study.

The report says that policy priorities to reduce inequality in the Philippines can be structured around three themes, including healing the pandemic’s scars and building resilience, setting the stage for a vibrant and inclusive recovery, and promoting greater equality of opportunity.

Healing pandemic’s scars will require promoting greater vaccine booster uptake, overcoming the learning loss due to COVID-19, strengthening social assistance, unemployment insurance programs for the informal sector, and taming inflation.

Setting the stage for vibrant recovery entails reskilling of workers, promoting entrepreneurship, increasing the participation of women in the labor force, and raising the productivity of agriculture.

Promoting greater equality of opportunity entails increasing access to quality health care, increasing equality of opportunity in education, and improving access to quality housing, among others. Equality of opportunity needs to target the lagging regions and other people disadvantaged in accessing these because of the circumstances of their birth.

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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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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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18 stories of Filipinos overcoming poverty

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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

MANILA, Philippines – It is not unusual for government to exaggerate the gains of its implemented projects.

The pioneering publication of the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cabinet Cluster (HDPRCC) does the exact opposite. The book entitled, “ Boses ng Pagbabago ” (Voices of Change) contains stories of 18 Filipinos living in poverty who, primarily through their own efforts and with the help of government, are slowly transcending the boundaries set by the birth lottery.

There is a great deal of hope that the text provides, revealing in each story a Juan dela Cruz who may have, at one point in his life, had to tell himself to stop with the whining and act on what needs to be acted upon.

They are not passive recipients of government benefits. They are citizens who are aware government aid can only go so far, and the rest is almost always up to them.

Individual stories

There is Bec, a 56-year-old visually impaired worker at the Department of Education central office, who was tutored at a young age by SPED-trained teachers Gerardo Consolacion and Ricardo Monegro.

The focused mentoring helped her cultivate a love for learning as she eventually earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the Central Philippine University in Iloilo City. For over 30 years now, she has devoted her life preparing Braille materials for visually-impaired students in public schools.

There is also 54-year-old farmer Bert of Sierra Bullones, Bohol whose lack of education was no hindrance to his dream of a better life for his family. His desire to familiarize himself with various farming techniques led him to participate in the training programs provided by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and other agencies.

The various training Bert attended cultivated his preference for fertilizer from animal manure over the costlier chemical-based alternatives. He has, since then, used and advocated for organic farming in Bohol.

These are people who, despite the hardship brought by destitution and disability, refused to use illegal means to survive and instead made themselves available for service to the country in their own little way. They are people who played by the government’s rules – the rule of law – and benefited in return.

There is a term for it, and it is called “trust.” It is the acknowledgment that social mobility is possible through the coordinated efforts of government and civil society.

The book, by virtue of inherent limitations in form and volume, fails to document the thousand other Filipinos fighting their way through bureaucratic hurdles and “falling through the cracks.” Then again, that is not what the book is for.

It makes no mention, for instance, of those on the opposite side of the spectrum: people who have abandoned all hope. This is precisely because the stories featured are meant to build trust and a resolve to overcome poverty.

Eliminating poverty: a long way to go

Triumph in wealth is not the story ending of the narratives outlined in the publication. All the featured beneficiaries are still in the process of overcoming. Some, like the 48 rice farmers of the Hungduan Farmers Federation in the Cordillera Administrative Region, are still awaiting assistance from the government for greater access to modern farming machinery. They especially need it, considering the growing American market of the local rice variety Mina-Angan.

Bert, the 54-year-old farmer from Bohol, has already received his land covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). There are countless others who have not, and whose cases are pending before the high court .

Asst Secretary Lila Ramos-Shahani, HDPRCC communications head and Boses ng Pagbabago editor, said that she will in the future write about those who “never got aid.”  

“…It is a crucial limitation of the book. One day, I hope to have the time and the funds to write a rigorous and fair examination of those who did fall through the cracks and why…for policy and analytical purposes,” she said.

Raising the bar for the social necessities that are inextricably linked to poverty – income-generation and employment opportunities, quality of education and technical skills training, access to quality and affordable health care, among others – cannot be done overnight.

The 18 stories narrated in “Voices of Change” are proof that there are people willing to give of themselves, if only the government consistently fulfills its end of the bargain. – Rappler.com

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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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Home / Essay Samples / Social Issues / Homelessness / The Root Causes of Poverty in the Philippines

The Root Causes of Poverty in the Philippines

• Category: Social Issues , Economics , Government
• Topic: Homelessness , Income Inequality , Unemployment

Pages: 4 (1661 words)

Views: 1704

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