Comments on: Income Levels / Poverty in the Philippines

By: joycee

joycee — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:04:07 +0000

I visited the PI just last month and was terribly shocked at the unbelievable poverty, filth, pollution the country is suffering from. How very sad indeed to see children rummaging through garbage to help their parents earn a living. I felt incredibly sad and helpless and came home with anxiety attacks. I don’t recall the PI being this poor, granted I left the country over 30 years ago. All I can do is turn shock and disbelief into something tangible by supporting a few squatter’s children so they can go to school, not much I know but something I can do to help…

To hear that the PI now is economically worse off than Iraq, Indonesia and Bhutan is surprising. I just hope that it won’t turn into countries like Haiti and Somalia. Oh, the pictures of sheer poverty and the smell of open sewage are still so fresh in my mind.

I’m amazed how so many Filipinos get offended when we talk about our country’s downward spiral. It’s as if we’re being disloyal by highlighting the country’s problems. How can anyone not feel compassion when going to places like Manila, Cebu and even the provinces? The saying, “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil,” comes to mind, which means by willfully turning a blind eye to the situation, one won’t have to be involved in the situation, i.e., help with what you can.

Dear God, please help the Philippines. Thank you so much for writing the above article.

By: Keven

Keven — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:19:24 +0000

I just want to mention that you can read these numbers, and they do not lie, but you need to look at why the numbers have become like this. Why has the economy of the great country of the Philippines dropped to the point of being so low while their Asian neighbors seem to be rising economically?
yes, look at these numbers and use them as an alarm to wake up. But without quoting other respondents and their comments I will yes, it is things like corruption that has created the economic perils of the Philippines. Not alone, but definitely a good part of the reason.
Infrastructure has lagged behind your Asian counterparts. People with money and or power were not concerned with growth. Tita Corey, rest her soul, understood growth and what was needed to sustain it and ensure the economy of the Philippines would survive, but she was fought on every level and ended up fighting corruption and and proving to not be a strong leader to know how to fight it. And in the end we find corruption with in her family as well.
When people min power are more concerned with keeping their stature of prominence and wealth instead of taking the risk to do what is right, or they are not willing to do what is right m but put themselves in a position of power without acting, they become part of the problem and not the solution. Tita, your not here to defend yourself, but you were that person that did not stand up to be a solution facilitator. You backed down from the corrupt powers that be.
The Philippines need to build infrastructure, remove corrupt members of the judiciary system and eliminate politics that surrenders to terrorism or that is fueled by powers that seem to beget influence from groups tied to crime and or terrorism.
Without the infrastructure, communication, data systems, transportation systems, etc, etc, as well as creating a climate that produces foreign investment as well as corporations coming in to the Philippines, you can expect more of what you have now. Which is a further downward spiral of your economy and the health and well being of your people.
I can give a simple example of corruption in the Philippines. I know a young lady that took a job in a post office. She worked full time and her salary was only 3,000PHP per month. This was in 2010-2011. Now I know the government has a minimum wage law. Her pay fell way below that standard. And to think that is a position regulated by the federal level of government of the Philippines.
Just saying. But why would an outside investor want to invest into that sort of atmosphere? I think the numbers speak volumes, but the underlying reasons might just be the corruption and the lack of leadership. Or maybe it is a lack of balls. In which case you should stay the hell out of the palace.

By: Weez

Weez — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:54:52 +0000

This post is very interesting. Let’s face it, this country is has an even bigger problem in the next decade. For those who are still here in the Philippines like me who haven’t traded yet their Philippine passport for a Philippine visa, the problem is with the society itself. We’ve lost faith in our country and instead of sticking with each other to keep it afloat amidst all this political turmoil and corruption, we instead resorted to moving ourselves and our families elsewhere. Imagine how many skilled and talented Filipinos have now been lost and many more are coming. Look at just what happened for the last 3 years, our skilled nurses going abroad, doctors laving their profession to work abroad and what’s worst, around half of the college students have taken nursing with one intention, TO GET OUT of this country. I don’t see any hope for the future of this country.I’m just happy that I will most likely not see this country when it goes for the worst turn. God, I just hope we wont turn to another Haiti.

By: doc mike

doc mike — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:22:26 +0000

I am but a humble government employee here with a salary grade 18, that translates to 31T a month. I drive a runned down and tattered 17 year old car and I rent an 30 sq m apartment. I have no kids yet. If ever i have one I could only afford to have one or two. I always considered my salary to be pathetic, then your eye opener blog came along. I never knew thAT my measly salary belongs to the top 4% of our population. I have always categorized myself as belonging to class C or D. It never seizes to amaze me how the real class C or D survive with less than 5T . It wouldnt be surprising to find people of this class to have more than 5 family members and yet their offspring look healthy although filthy with liquid snot running down their noses . In spite off, it appears that they are doing a splendid job in making ends meet. However an eyesore they maybe they do have the right to be here. I just hope that our leaders find work for the 80 million pair of hands we possess. I pray that the population growth rate would work to our advantage someday. In the mean time we are stuck with it and we do have to deal with it.

By: Gerald Anderson

Gerald Anderson — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 23:52:35 +0000

Filipinos in the Philippines throw around the label “Class C” around too loosley I guess based on your analysis. Crab mentality, corruption, weak politicians, laziness, and overpopulation can all be blamed for the country’s poverty.

By: Rene

Rene — Thu, 26 May 2011 14:41:21 +0000

what if the so called very poor people without jobs be hired as volunteers (with minimum pay) to work in developing the unused agricultural areas available which i believe is more than enough. enacting laws for such purpose might help rather than controlling population by providing condoms or other contraceptives which would promote immorality. RH bill budgets and probably savings from corruption can finance this kind of endeavor. sacrifice and discipline that is religiously practiced will do it. yes, mathematically we seem to be hopeless but look at the open agricultural (or idle land) areas available, the money that goes to corruption, and the vast population that has no work. let’s make our poor brothers productive and soon they themselves will control their family size. and for sure soon our morality level will go up too. Thank you.

By: Marketman

Marketman — Sun, 08 May 2011 14:38:34 +0000

giancarlo, thanks, found the data, will look at it soon…

By: giancarlo

giancarlo — Sun, 08 May 2011 14:09:17 +0000

MM the preliminary results for the 2009 FIES is already in the census website. Care to update this post or create a new post with the 2009 FIES?

By: Grace

Grace — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:28:04 +0000

Many of the blogs were informative, but none offered solutions. I understand there are no easy ones, but what is the poverty stricken to do in the meantime? I believe, we should never lose hope, that population explosion is a real problem but it should not be the main focus ( I have seen big families who worked hard to move up in the socio economic status ,with EDUCATION). All should look up to pray, get on their knees and pray often. God is in control. Moving on with my point, I appreciate the bloggers who offered some tips – make education available to all, start with the farmers’ children, use creativity, save money however little, recycle, use public library and educate yourself so the politicians can’t fool you anymore, learn how to read and be a voracious reader, (include the Bible in your daily readings). I’d like to see blogs who offer resources where the poor can get assistance, both in Metro Manila and the provinces. I have inherited a parcel of agricultural land that have tenants living in it. Any advise you can give me on how to deal with them fairly based on our Agricultural law? Thanks in advance. God bless you.

By: Gabby

Gabby — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 03:07:54 +0000

where are the datas come from?