Poverty In The Philippines

[KeithD]

One major problem which the Philippines has been facing until now is poverty. It remains a critical social problem that really needs to be addressed. The government has planned a lot of ways in order to eradicate poverty in the Philippines but still it can’t be felt by the Filipino people. Under the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals), the Philippines committed itself to having extreme poverty from 33.1 % in 1991 to 16.6% by 2015.

Here is the list of some of the main causes of poverty in the Philippines:

> High level of population growth
Overpopulation is a very undesirable condition where the number of human population exceeds the capacity of a certain place. This may lead to an increase in demand of every individual which the society will not be able to supply, especially the economy of the Philippines.

> Low to moderate economic growth
Economic growth is affected by a lot of factors which may lead to success or failure of a certain country. The Philippines has a consistent low to moderate economic growth which makes poverty very evident, but the country is striving for high economic growth to eradicate this problem.

> Unemployment
This is due to competition in the labor market. More graduates, yet less employment opportunities, or its either what they have graduated for is not suited for the available jobs, this is very common in the Philippines.

> High inflation during crisis periods

> Economic crisis, conflicts, natural disasters and environmental poverty

Poverty is the most severe and most widespread problem, especially in rural areas in the Philippines. In general, more than one third of the people in the Philippines live in poverty. Between the different places in the cities and provinces in the Philippines, there are substantial differences in the level of poverty.

Poverty in the Philippines still remains a challenge. For the past four decades, the proportion of households living below the official poverty line has declined slowly and unevenly, and poverty reduction has been much slower than in neighboring countries such as Thailand, the People's Republic of China, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

To definitely eradicate poverty in the Philippines, there should be an acceleration of poverty reduction and achieve more inclusive growth in the government. There should be an enhancement in the government’s poverty reduction strategy. The government should pursue key economic reforms for sustained and inclusive growth.


http://filipinaroses.com/poverty-in-the-philippines/ | Philippine Poverty, Poverty In The Philippines

[Michael Parnham]

Education about contraception is urgently required and that will solve a number of problems!

[malolos]

When my wife and I return to Philippines next year my plan is to get 4 local lads to clean up our new housing estate, having got assurance from the developers for a quiet corner all the rubbish can be taken to and sorted.

We all chip in a small amount to get them started. This will then help 4 families to live a better life - any money they make they can keep.

[Ako Si Jamie]

Education about contraception is urgently required and that will solve a number of problems!

True, but does the corrupt government really care?

[Ako Si Jamie]

When my wife and I return to the Philippines next year, my plan is to get 4 local lads to clean up our new housing estate, having got assurance from the developers for a quiet corner all the rubbish can be taken to and sorted.

We all chip in a small amount to get them started. This will then help 4 families to live a better life - any money they make they can keep.

Nice one. Rep on its way when I get back home!

[Arthur Little]

True, but does the corrupt government really care?

... not a bit of it.

... indeed, the [present] corrupt administration seems to be another MAIN contributory factor ... culminating in the uneven distribution of the wealth accruing from the Philippines' bountiful natural resources ... ... from what I can gather, anyway!

[sars_notd_virus]

I have to add ONE major cause of poverty in the Philippines:

CORRUPTION!!

[nitrox]

I have been working in the Philippines for well over 6 years, during that time I have held many interviews for employees at our facility in Clark. Because of this I think I have a different perspective on "poverty".

Time and time again I hear how "life is so hard in the Philippines", "I can't get a job because I didn't finish high school", to be honest a lot of this is an excuse for nothing more than laziness. Don't get me wrong, some people live in deplorable conditions that I wouldn't wish on a dog, however it's the willingness of people to try and work themselves out of poverty that is lacking in many cases.

If it is so hard to find work in the Philippines why is it every time I hold interviews, half the applicants don't even bother to show up, or even inform you they won't be attending? Surely if it were that hard to find a job I would have applicants lining up down the street, this is not the case.

I'm not even talking about jobs that require a high standard of education, I'm talking about jobs packing boxes. The easiest of jobs. Yet still people fail to even bother turning up.

Another major factor is the "Utang culture". Most (not all) Filipinos by their nature are not outgoing, they do not like doing things by themselves and they are not responsible. This is due to the upbringing many experience. If you speak to any Filipino they will stress to you how important family is to them, it's the number one priority in their life. This by itself is an admirable quality, however the Filipino version of "family" for many is anything but admirable.

From the moment some (again not all) Filipino children are born, they are born into a life of servitude. This is because the reason for having children in the Philippines for most families is not because you want to be a parent and enjoy the experience of parenting and raising a family, the reason is because they want someone to look after them when they are old. In short, your life is to provide for them as soon as you reach the age you can work.

They will send children to school (in some cases not), pay for college and make they get the best start in life the Philippines has to offer. This is not for the child's benefit though, it is for theirs. The moment they are done with studying and they land a job, they are expected to hand over 90-100% of the pay they earn to the parents. This is because the child "owes" them. A debt that can never be fully settled, for as long as the parent is alive the debt will exist and need to be paid. This is Utang.

Until individuals can stand on their own two feet without the need to constantly support others who are too lazy, old, or just plain stubborn not to work the country will never progress.

It's a harsh truth I'm afraid.

-Dan.

[Michael Parnham]

Very well said Dan I absolutely agree with you, rep on its way!

[fred]

I have been working in the Philippines for well over 6 years, during that time I have held many interviews for employees at our facility in Clark. Because of this I think I have a different perspective on "poverty".

Time and time again I hear how "life is so hard in the Philippines", "I can't get a job because I didn't finish high school", to be honest a lot of this is an excuse for nothing more than laziness. Don't get me wrong, some people live in deplorable conditions that I wouldn't wish on a dog, however it's the willingness of people to try and work themselves out of poverty that is lacking in many cases.

If it is so hard to find work in the Philippines why is it every time I hold interviews, half the applicants don't even bother to show up, or even inform you they won't be attending? Surely if it were that hard to find a job I would have applicants lining up down the street, this is not the case.

I'm not even talking about jobs that require a high standard of education, I'm talking about jobs packing boxes. The easiest of jobs. Yet still people fail to even bother turning up.

Another major factor is the "Utang culture". Most (not all) Filipinos by their nature are not outgoing, they do not like doing things by themselves and they are not responsible. This is due to the upbringing many experience. If you speak to any Filipino they will stress to you how important family is to them, it's the number one priority in their life. This by itself is an admirable quality, however the Filipino version of "family" for many is anything but admirable.

From the moment some (again not all) Filipino children are born, they are born into a life of servitude. This is because the reason for having children in the Philippines for most families is not because you want to be a parent and enjoy the experience of parenting and raising a family, the reason is because they want someone to look after them when they are old. In short, your life is to provide for them as soon as you reach the age you can work.

They will send children to school (in some cases not), pay for college and make they get the best start in life the Philippines has to offer. This is not for the child's benefit though, it is for theirs. The moment they are done with studying and they land a job, they are expected to hand over 90-100% of the pay they earn to the parents. This is because the child "owes" them. A debt that can never be fully settled, for as long as the parent is alive the debt will exist and need to be paid. This is Utang.

Until individuals can stand on their own two feet without the need to constantly support others who are too lazy, old, or just plain stubborn not to work the country will never progress.

It's a harsh truth I'm afraid.

-Dan.

Good post!
Utang na loob is a very tricky topic about Filipino psychology that most foreigners can never seem to come too grips with.. (Including me)
There are many topics within this very forum that clearly show the effect it can have on FIL-Brit marriages.
I called an Aussie friend in Manila that runs a call center there to recommend my nephew who lost his job in Makati 6 months ago.. I thought long and hard before doing so as I know where these things can lead..
He told me to send him in and he would skip the requirement process and give him the job with a starting pay of 25K per month..
My nephew didn't show up..
Say no more!! I can feel the rage and embarrassment welling up from when I had to call up my mate and apologize!!
Last time I will ever try to help any of them again.

[nitrox]

Good post!
Utang na loob is a very tricky topic about Filipino psychology that most foreigners can never seem to come too grips with.. (Including me)
There are many topics within this very forum that clearly show the effect it can have on FIL-Brit marriages.
I called an Aussie friend in Manila that runs a call center there to recommend my nephew who lost his job in Makati 6 months ago.. I thought long and hard before doing so as I know where these things can lead..
He told me to send him in and he would skip the requirement process and give him the job with a starting pay of 25K per month..
My nephew didn't show up..
Say no more!! I can feel the rage and embarrassment welling up from when I had to call up my mate and apologize!!
Last time I will ever try to help any of them again.

Absolutely!

And let's be honest 25k a month is not bad wages compared to a lot of Filipino earnings, yet despite this he still couldn't show up. Unbelievable. The sad truth is if they have family members who are supporting them they will never go out and earn money for themselves, that's too much like hard work.

Note: When I say "they" I am not referring to all Filipinos, just a certain type (you know the type I mean).

It's very easy for people to point the fingers at the Philippine government and say "you should be doing a better job" but you have to look at who they vote into power in the first place. When people vote for actors, sports stars, and convicted criminals to be congressmen and presidential candidates what do they honestly expect from the government? When people sell their vote for a few hundred pesos (I've seen this done first hand when a local mayor tried to buy my wife's families vote) what do they expect?

At the end of the day to a large degree people get the government they deserve. They voted for them, that's what you get.

There are of course a few politicians here who I think do want to make a difference, but when they are the drastic minority they are never going to make an effective difference.

-Dan.

[Jentobeharrison]

Education about contraception is urgently required and that will solve a number of problems!

I agree here.

I am on contraceptive pills, and that pills cost around 600 PHP/ £8 but here, they gave me 12 packs of free Mercilon pills! Good help really

[Jentobeharrison]

I didn't finish my Bachelor's and yes, I would admit that jobs for us are very limited but if you are not picky with jobs, you will end up earning every month. Thing is, especially in Metro Manila, some people have too much pride to engage with such kind of jobs like (fastfood crews) and some have really attitude problem about their work. One bad effect of having call centres is, since it is a known industry in PH, there are people who take advantage of it, and they end up being a call centre hopper. They don't do good in their jobs, and always think there are loads of call centre company so if he will get fired, it's okay.

Another thing is our "one day millionaire attitude". I admit, I was one of them. I was a call center rep and whenever it's pay day, we always eat in expensive restaurants, buy new clothes, shop here shop there, we dont really know how to budget as we always think that we can survive. Buying also in retails (tingi-tingi) doesn't help. My family do groceries every two weeks but my mama doesn't buy big sizes of detergents, shampoo etc. Instead she'll buy a bulk of shampoo in packs (by 6 packs) and thought that it's more expensive than a big bottle of shampoo.

I have to admit it that it's not just about the government but poverty starts within ourselves, No savings, one day millionaires, no contentment, pride and having a "bahala na"/ "come what may" attitude.

[Michael Parnham]

I didn't finish my Bachelor's and yes, I would admit that jobs for us are very limited but if you are not picky with jobs, you will end up earning every month. Thing is, especially in Metro Manila, some people have too much pride to engage with such kind of jobs like (fastfood crews) and some have really attitude problem about their work. One bad effect of having call centres is, since it is a known industry in PH, there are people who take advantage of it, and they end up being a call centre hopper. They don't do good in their jobs, and always think there are loads of call centre company so if he will get fired, it's okay.

Another thing is our "one day millionaire attitude". I admit, I was one of them. I was a call center rep and whenever it's payday, we always eat in expensive restaurants, buy new clothes, shop here shop there, we dont really know how to budget as we always think that we can survive. Buying also in retails (tingi-tingi) doesn't help. My family do groceries every two weeks but my mama doesn't buy big sizes of detergents, shampoo etc. Instead she'll buy a bulk of shampoo in packs (by 6 packs) and thought that it's more expensive than a big bottle of shampoo.

I have to admit it that it's not just about the government but poverty starts within ourselves, No savings, one day millionaires, no contenment, pride and having a "bahala na"/ "come what may" attitude.

Lack of education is a big problem, but the "common sense alternative" costs nothing Jen!

[nitrox]

Lack of education is a big problem, but the "common sense alternative" costs nothing Jen!

^^This! When I have a bad day here in Phils I often say to my wife "I'm not anti philipinnes, I'm anti stupidity" there is just a lot of stupidity here! Lol.

[grahamw48]

What a good honest no b/s thread.

[Terpe]

Good post!
Utang na loob is a very tricky topic about Filipino psychology that most foreigners can never seem to come too grips with.. (Including me)
There are many topics within this very forum that clearly show the effect it can have on FIL-Brit marriages.
I called an Aussie friend in Manila that runs a call center there to recommend my nephew who lost his job in Makati 6 months ago.. I thought long and hard before doing so as I know where these things can lead..
He told me to send him in and he would skip the requirement process and give him the job with a starting pay of 25K per month..
My nephew didn't show up..
Say no more!! I can feel the rage and embarrassment welling up from when I had to call up my mate and apologize!!
Last time I will ever try to help any of them again.

Hmmm, this rings quite a few bells for my experience also.

The number of my extended family members who get any help from me has drastically decreased over the years.

[malolos]

My wife and I bought the son an internet shop to support his family, later in the year he sent a message we have no customers and he closed the shop, sold all the equipment and spent the money.
On my last visit Feb/March I went to the shops location and asked around, he could not bother to open and it was party, party time.
My words to him went thus, find a job or we go to the family court and your children will be taken away and you go to jail for not supporting your wife and 4 kids, funny how he found a job the next day.
This lad is 45 years old and has never worked always asked his mother for money, this money giving has been stopped by me.
Poverty can be avoided in some cases if you do your part.

[Michael Parnham]

My wife and I bought the son an internet shop to support his family, later in the year he sent a message we have no customers and he closed the shop, sold all the equipment and spent the money.
On my last visit Feb/March I went to the shops location and asked around, he could not bother to open and it was party, party time.
My words to him went thus, find a job or we go to the family court and your children will be taken away and you go to jail for not supporting your wife and 4 kids, funny how he found a job the next day.
This lad is 45 years old and has never worked always asked his mother for money, this money giving has been stopped by me.
Poverty can be avoided in some cases if you do your part.

It's all about showing off!

[raynaputi]

This is one reason why my mum would always check out first if someone who asks for help (i.e. job recommendation, etc.) is worthy enough to be helped. She once helped a neighbour get into a job and she found out the guy was lazy and causing troubles at work. And when the guy asked my mum to get into another job when he was fired, my mum couldn't care less.

We also have some relatives that my mum helps when they are in short of money. Now that they're all working overseas, they still ask my mum to help their families. My mum said no and ignored them. They have means of supporting their family now and still ask my mum for monetary help! We told my mum to ignore them.

[nitrox]

This is one reason why my mum would always check out first if someone who asks for help (i.e. job recommendation, etc.) is worthy enough to be helped. She once helped a neighbour get into a job and she found out the guy was lazy and causing troubles at work. And when the guy asked my mum to get into another job when he was fired, my mum couldn't care less.

We also have some relatives that my mum helps when they are in short of money. Now that they're all working overseas, they still ask my mum to help their families. My mum said no and ignored them. They have means of supporting their family now and still ask my mum for monetary help! We told my mum to ignore them.

And the real kick in the teeth will be they will have the attitude that your mum is the bad person for not helping anymore.

[Michael Parnham]

and the real kick in the teeth will be they will have the attitude that your mum is the bad person for not helping anymore.

Let them think what they like!

[Jentobeharrison]

This is one reason why my mum would always check out first if someone who asks for help (i.e. job recommendation, etc.) is worthy enough to be helped. She once helped a neighbour get into a job and she found out the guy was lazy and causing troubles at work. And when the guy asked my mum to get into another job when he was fired, my mum couldn't care less.

We also have some relatives that my mum helps when they are in short of money. Now that they're all working overseas, they still ask my mum to help their families. My mum said no and ignored them. They have means of supporting their family now and still ask my mum for monetary help! We told my mum to ignore them.

That's one of the bad attitude of some filipinos, you gave your hand to help them but they still asking for your arms. lol

[Ako Si Jamie]

I don't think this mentality concerning money is endemic to the Philippines. There's plenty of ill-disciplined people in this country who spend their money as soon as they receive it. Then when they have none left they rely on others or opt for the notorious payday loans to keep them going.

[grahamw48]

Here they can scrounge off the taxpayer. In the Phils they can't.

[London_Manila]

I am all for helping the family out back in the province but on a closer inspection it appears the offspring are just seen as a source of income for the lazy lot back home

[London_Manila]

True, but does the corrupt government really care?

I doubt if they do at all
Most of them seem to be too busy on having their personal version of the PORK BARREL SCAM
No so different in the UK with our own "career" politicians
Snouts in the trough................

[London_Manila]

My wife and I bought the son an internet shop to support his family, later in the year he sent a message we have no customers and he closed the shop, sold all the equipment and spent the money.
On my last visit Feb/March I went to the shops location and asked around, he could not bother to open and it was party, party time.
My words to him went thus, find a job or we go to the family court and your children will be taken away and you go to jail for not supporting your wife and 4 kids, funny how he found a job the next day.
This lad is 45 years old and has never worked always asked his mother for money, this money giving has been stopped by me.
Poverty can be avoided in some cases if you do your part.

Probably spent the proceeds on Shabu and Red Horse
I probably would have had that idiot done away with