The Poverty Cycle: The Case of the Philippines
The Philippines is considered a developing country whose stand in the world has been greatly affected by politics. The country has seen through turbulent years and is one of the bottom countries in Southeast Asia, although previously, its economy has been on the top. The rising number of people living below the poverty line in the country is one of the major concerns of the government. Comparing the number of people living below the poverty line in the country with a developed country like the United States, it can be seen that the Philippines a great number of its citizens below the poverty line. Its literacy rate of 92% is way below the literacy rate 99% literacy rate of the United States. The lower literacy rate can be supported by the fact that the government only allots 2.8% of their GDP to education compared to 5.5% of the United States, although the unemployment rate of youth ages 15-24 are the same at 17%. The diversity of people living in the United States could have contributed however to the high prevalence of communicable like HIV who is currently ranked 9 against 148 in the Philippines. (CIA, 24 February 2012) However, its government is torn between addressing the current needs of the country to at least make its standard of living comparable to other countries within the region and political misunderstandings. The country is known for having talented citizens but the government does not have the capacity to support them so the tendency if for its people to find employment outside the country.
The country recently experience flash flood which killed and displaced several residents which environmentalist attributed to the uncontrolled logging in the country. Although the government has required government workers to take part in greening the country again and passed laws that aim in protecting the environment especially the watershed areas, it hasn't completely controlled illegal logging in the remaining forests. Air and water pollution, is also a major problem in the country. Aside from reducing the fresh water supply needed by its residents, mangrove swamps and the breeding area of water species are also affected. Like the United States, the country has also joined in several international agreements that aims to protect the environment and reduce pollution.(CIA, 24 February 2012)
The country currently ranks number 12 in terms of world population against the United States number 3, however its population growth rate of 1.874% with a fertility rate of 3.15 is way above the United States 0.899% and fertility rate of 2.05. The lower living standards in the country and the prevalence of poverty are also reflected in the infant mortality rate, 18.75/1000, maternal mortality rate, 94/100000, life expectancy, 71.94, physician density, 1.153/1000 and hospital bed density, 0.5/1000 which are way below the United States figures of 5.98/1000, 24/100000, 78.49, 2.672/1000, and 3.1/1000, respectively. Likewise, the United States families gives also more importance to health care by giving 16.2 % of its GDP compared to the only 3.8% in the Philippines.
The prevalence of poverty in the country especially the Philippines has a lot to do with overpopulation but it is not the sole factor. Because of lack of resources, the government is unable to provide for the fast growing population of the country especially basic necessities. The social services provided are not enough to cater to all the needs of the population, thus, degrading the living standards of the people. There are no enough jobs for the families to be able to support a modest kind of living. Their main concern is to be able to provide food for them to live day by day and not taking into consideration other basic needs and social needs such as education and health. Environmental degradation is also connected to poverty in such a way that because these people lack resources they tend to overshoot the use of what’s available to them. Just as an overly populated fish pond kills the fishes in that pond because the pond can no longer support all the fishers living in it, this scenario also happens on earth.
References:
CIA (February 24, 2012). The World Fact Book. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rp.html#top
National Statistic Coordination Board (February 8, 2012)” One Family Per 100 was Lifted Out of Food Poverty in 2009 “. Retrieved from http://www.nscb.gov.ph/pressreleases/2011/PR-22011-SS2-01_pov2009.asp
