essay about the poverty in the philippines

Community Developments

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.

Adequate access to safe water is a pressing issue for many rural communities in the Philippines.

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.

Communities work to fight poverty in the Philippines.

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.

Children attend school in the Philippines.

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.

Communities identify access to safe water as an urgent issue in the Philippines.

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.

A remote Philippine community gains access to safe water.

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.

Community-led rice loans are a brilliant solution for fighting poverty in the Philippines.

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.

Community-led organizations in the Philippines work tirelessly to solve their poverty-related issues.

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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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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The Philippines Can Overcome Poverty

Opening Remarks by Mara K. Warwick, Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand

at the launch of Making Growth Work for the Poor: A Poverty Assessment for the Philippines

As Prepared for Delivery

I am pleased to welcome you to today’s media briefing on the Philippines Poverty Assessment report, entitled “ Making Growth Work for the Poor: A Poverty Assessment for the Philippines .”

The Report has two important stories to tell. The first story is inspiring. And gives everyone hope: The Philippines can overcome poverty!

The reason for this optimism is that from 2006 to 2015, robust economic growth helped the poverty rate in the Philippines to fall by 5 percentage points. Hence, poverty declined from 26.6 percent in 2006 to 21.6 percent in 2015. The contributing factors for this decline in poverty were the expansion of jobs outside agriculture, government transfers, in particular to qualified poor families through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, and remittances.

School enrollment has notably increased in recent years, with universal and mandatory kindergarten as well as two years of senior high school added to the education cycles. Pro-poor policies and changes to health insurance coverage have resulted in increased use of health services. Access to clean water and sanitation and electricity has improved. Social safety nets were expanded to cover most of the poor.

All these developments give us hope that poverty can be overcome. It is not at all insurmountable.

But here is the second story, an equally important one: The Philippines needs to do more to end poverty.

While poverty has declined, there are still about 22 million poor Filipinos, as of 2015. These poor families most often live in rural areas with limited access to quality schools, health centers, and safe drinking water, not to mention, roads and transportation that will help them go to their jobs or bring their produce to market.

Some poor families live in areas scarred by conflict or prone to natural disasters. Conflict can force families to move far away from their homes. Disasters can knock down families that are struggling to climb the economic ladder.

Poor families are most often trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty. They usually have many children, an average of 5 per family. Pregnant mothers face high risk: every day, 5 Filipina women die in childbirth or due to other causes related to pregnancy.

In a poor family of 5 children, 2 will likely be stunted, a visible sign of malnutrition. Children who remain malnourished in the first 1000 days of their lives do not fully develop the neural connections in their brains, making them unable to reach their full potential, even as adults.

Just half the children in the poor households will enroll in lower secondary school. Even those who do enroll may learn little due to malnourishment and poor quality of instruction. As a result, when they grow up, their chances of getting a well-paying job are slim.

So the Philippines has experienced success in reducing poverty. But there are remaining challenges, What can we all do together to end poverty?

How can we unlock this trap and make growth work for the poor? How can one family break from the path of poverty so the future generations have a better life than their parents or grandparents?

I want to highlight a few particular points.

The number one priority is creating more and better jobs, to offer opportunity for the poor to lift themselves out of poverty.

Since two out of five of the country’s poor are in Mindanao, unlocking Mindanao’s potential is critical in bringing down poverty in the entire country.

In addition, tackling the country’s severe stunting crisis will require an all hands-on-deck effort, starting with maternal health and focusing health interventions on the “first 1000 days” of life.

And creating opportunities for children means also ensuring that the poor attend school and that the schools they attend foster learning.

Many of these policy suggestions align well with the Government’s long-term vision -- the AmBisyon 2040 and the Philippine Development Plan 2017–2022 , which aims to transform the country into a prosperous middle-class society.

In closing, I would like to repeat the message: With solid economic fundamentals, the Philippines can overcome poverty. It is important to break the cycle of inequitable investment in human capital, making the pattern of growth more inclusive and creating opportunities for more and better jobs.

The World Bank believes that, together, with various stakeholders, we can take concrete actions to end poverty in the Philippines.

Before I close, let me add one remark. The Poverty Assessment is an analytical report – we have delved into the data and information that’s available on poverty to come up with an up-to-date and sound analytical basis for policy making. It is a foundational piece and more work will be done by us and others to really take the recommendations and to work in more detail on how to do that -- what needs to change in the Philippines in order to address the problems in a more focused way and how to carry these forward. Our team will also explain during the Q and A session that there will also be other follow up work by the World Bank, by government, and others to take these recommendations to the policy realm.

Thank you very much and may we all have a very fruitful discussion today.

Maraming Salamat Po! [Thank you very much!]

In Manila: David Llorito, +63-465-2514, [email protected]

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Poverty, Inequality, and Development in the Philippines: Official Statistics and Selected Life Stories

European Journal of Sustainable Development

Related Papers

Michael Sherwin Baluyot

Avril DG Madrid

Christian Mina

International Relations Journal

Joshua Salazar

Much literature continues to highlight how the Philippines has emerged as a critical actor in global trading and how it has witnessed dramatic and positive structural changes. While this is true to a certain extent, such scholars have not only mistakenly overlooked these so-called “successes,” they have even glossed over more important problems. Thus, by adopting a holistic lens of the Philippines’ socioeconomic development, I am able to deduce more qualifiable conclusions for both the domestic and national levels. This has led me to explore the following questions: how has the Philippines succeeded in improving its socioeconomic sectors; who and at what levels are these successes felt; and what does this mean for its future socioeconomic growth? I argue that the Philippines has witnessed paradoxical successes. That is, many lives have been spared, gender disparities have decreased, and national poverty levels have improved; conversely, however, invisible and physical structures such as poor accountability, corruption, poverty, and vested interests continue to hamper growth at both the domestic and national levels—hence, yielding vicious and self-perpetuating cycles of inequality. It is important to remain critical of the Philippines’ socioeconomic development because it will yield more insight on their future and on more important issues, structures or agents, and factors which are—or are not—stymying their overall socioeconomic and aggregate growth.

Dennis S Mapa , Arsenio Balisacan , Donna Odra

Asian Social Work and Policy Review

Amaryllis Torres

Xander Djin Torralba

Decades have passed since the Philippines achieved independence against the evident tyrannical rule of foreign invaders. Thanks to the collective effort of countless Filipino revolutionists and activists since the reign of the Spaniards, the Philippines could once again emerge as one of the most prosperous country in Southeast Asia due to its rich number of natural resources– or so we thought. Despite all of our sacrifices, the Philippines that was introduced into the 21st century was filled with discontent and crises which then resulted into the nation we have today where poverty and corruption persists. What happened to the country that showed great promise to which its people so believed in?

Arrabella De Mesa

Development and Change

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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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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 Root Causes of Poverty in the Philippines

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

Pages: 4 (1661 words)

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