ASHBY, Massachusetts — Historically, the Philippines has struggled with poverty due to various factors, including governance, economic challenges and environmental issues. Alongside these struggles, the country also faces the pressure of a rapidly growing population. As a result, one-fifth of the population lives below the poverty line. Here is what poverty is like for Filipino citizens.
Gerald Ochavez’s Experience
The poverty rate in the Philippines stands at 15.5%. With a population of 115 million, approximately 17 million people live in poverty. Many families survive by living frugally and relying on self-sufficiency. Ochavez described how his family managed life during their time in poverty. Ochavez lived in the Philippines until he was 8 years old. Gerald Ochavez is now an 18-year-old Massachusetts resident, attending UMass Lowell for a degree in Electrical Engineering. He told The Borgen Project, “We lived by not getting extra things. I would have to get my own money to buy things I wanted, like toys and games.”
When asked how he earned money as a child, Ochavez shared his experience with the traditional Filipino practice of cockfighting. He explained that informal, traditional practices like betting on rooster fights were sometimes seen as one of the few ways to earn money as a child.
Philippines Financial Struggles
The GDP per capita in the Philippines is only $3,804, meaning the average citizen cannot afford many of the items considered “common wants” in Western society. For Ochavez, these “common wants” were seen as luxuries. Ochavez told The Borgen Project, ”Seeing others enjoy things my family simply couldn’t afford,” was the most challenging part of coping with poverty. He and his family, like many others, longed for the same comforts others enjoyed but had to prioritize their basic survival.
In contrast to the individualism common in Western civilizations, countries where poverty is prevalent often foster a strong sense of community. The Philippines is one country where employment, home ownership and health care struggles push communities to band together and solve problems collectively. Ochavez shared how his neighbors often supported each other during tough times. He told The Borgen Project, ”Yeah, neighbors helped each other, whether it was moving things or giving away extra food.”
Education in the Philippines
Education is another challenge for many Filipinos. The country faces significant issues with the quality of education, as students often struggle with literacy and other basic skills. The Philippines participated for the first time in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). It ranked lowest among the 79 participating countries in reading literacy.
The average reading score for Filipino students was 340, significantly below the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of 487. Regarding proficiency levels, only 19.4% of Filipino students achieved at least the minimum level (Level 2) in reading. This implies that approximately 80.6% of students did not reach this basic level of proficiency.
Fortunately for Ochavez, he was able to attend school regularly. “I attended school and there were really no challenges since my grandma gave me lunch money each day,” he said. After moving to the United States at 8 years old, he excelled academically, maintaining good grades and becoming a first-generation college student. Ochavez reflected on how living in the Philippines instilled resilience in him, a necessary quality for enduring the challenges of daily life in a country with a long history of hardship.
Overpopulation in the Philippines
Overpopulation further exacerbates poverty in the Philippines. A rapidly growing population makes it harder to provide resources for everyone. Currently, 30.7% of the population is aged less than 15, intensifying the strain on housing, food supply and other necessities.
Ochavez described an experience that encapsulated his poverty: “I went to my local school at first and there were thousands of people and hundreds of vendors on one street.” His description highlights the impact of urbanization, as 47% of the population in the Philippines now lives in urban areas.
The country’s urban population proportion is higher than Thailand and Cambodia’s. It is comparable to densely populated countries like India, Vietnam and Japan. Many Filipino citizens set up informal markets to sell goods or food, hoping to support their families.
Class Inequalities
Living as an impoverished Filipino citizen is undeniably challenging. While the Philippines is not the worst in the world in terms of poverty or population density, the situation is likely to worsen without intervention. Millions of people are born or settled in the Philippines yearly. Yet, the systems and resources to support this growth are insufficient. Although the country possesses abundant natural resources, these often benefit international corporations more than the local population.
The government also suffers from poor wealth distribution; the wealthiest 1% of the country holds 17% of the national income. This compares to 14% of the population’s national income being held by the lowest 50%. These issues prove that the Philippines is dealing with poverty on multiple fronts: resources, population growth and systemic failures.
Future for Filipino Citizens
The Philippines plans to tackle poverty among Filipino citizens by implementing policies that support government-led initiatives. Efforts have been made to improve education and employment and reduce inequality, for example the government added two additional required grades to secondary school. This made the Philippines match many other countries by having 12 grades required to graduate. The government is also taking a strategic approach by focusing on regions that require the most development. For instance, since agriculture is one of the country’s leading industries, the Philippines is now prioritizing job growth in other sectors. These ambitious efforts have recently shown positive results, as the government is progressing in addressing its key issues.
– Nicholas East
Nicholas is based in Ashby, MA, USA and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Wikipedia Commons