GDP $317.

5bn
GDP growth

3.8% (2008 est.)[1]

GDP per capita

$3,300 (2008 est.)[1]

GDP by sector

agriculture (14.7%), industry (31.6%), services (53.7%) (2008 est.) [1]

Inflation (CPI)

0.7% (September 2009) [2]

Population

30% (2003 est.)[1], approx. 22% (2001-2006)[3]

below poverty line

Gini index

45.8 (2006)[1]

Labour force

36.81 million (2008 est.)[1]

Labour force

services (50%), agriculture (35%), industry (15%) (As of 2007) [1]

by occupation
Public debt

$178.75bn (56.3% of GDP) (2008 est.)

Revenues

$27.05bn (2008 est.)

Expenses

$28.58bn (2008 est.)

Economic aid

recipient. ODA, $561.7 million (2007)[

Population below poverty line: 22.6%

Unemployment rate: 7.5%

Poverty In The Philippines, Our Biggest Issue

This is my submission for The Philippine Issues Writing Project. With
much thought, it becomes clear, if its not already, that poverty in our nation
is by far the most important issue that we face today. Because it touches on
so many aspects of our nation, including injustice, and the hindering of our
own progress, we must address it with a resolve like we have never had
before.
It is poverty, in my opinion, that has kept us in the grips of corruption,
or even vice versa, it is poverty that has kept our youth from striving to
become their full potential, and it is poverty that is both a symptom and a
manifestation of the injustices that occurs on all levels of our society. Both
cause and effect, a web of under-performance that has thrust our nation
behind, always trying to catch up to the rest of the world.
Poverty, my dear friends, readers, colleagues, and fellow Filipinos, is
literally the death sentence of thousands, if not millions, of our brothers and
sisters. Poverty itself becomes the spark of many debates, including
population control in The Philippines, corruption in government and private
sector, medical treatment for the poor, adequate health care for all, the
strategy of debt reduction, capital expenditure focus, microeconomic
strategies, macroeconomic strategies, crime, and even the selling of kidneys.
And as if thats not enough of a burden, our current government touts its
many accomplishments, and is yet to be candid about our worsening state of
poverty. Last year, economic growth hit a 31-year high of 7.3 percent, and
yet it is a fact that the number of Filipinos under the poverty level has
increased. And thus, we must conclude, that even with such increases in our
economy, these all become just numbers, until we maintain and sustain the
economic growth necessary to implement microeconomic strategies that will
alleviate the plight of our poor brethren.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a great resource to dive deep

into the causes of poverty in The Philippines. The research papers, and the
articles, are greatly insightful, and has given us a clearer picture of facts, not
just rhetoric.

That is why, when we talk about economic growth, this will

never suffice as something to cheer about, when we have wages that are
stagnant, and when we have jobs that are non-existent. Clearly, economic
growth is a number that can be influenced by so many factors that have
nothing to do with the well being of poverty stricken individuals. A great deal
of analysis has also been done by World Bank, and I invite you to read
their two

part

report

on

poverty

in

The

Philippines.

Indeed,

in

recent Reauters report the preceding argument of economic growth as a nonindicator is confirmed to a great degree,
The Philippines poor are expanding by around 1.3 million people every
year, as rising food prices and sluggish wage growth mean that more
families cannot afford to feed themselves, government data on Wednesday
showed. The bleak picture of 3.8 million people, nearly double the population
of

Slovenia,

slipping

below

the

poverty

line

in

2003-2006

is

an

embarrassment for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who has paraded her
governments anti-poverty credentials amid a growing economy.
http://www.tingog.com/social-concerns/poverty-in-the-philippines-our-biggestissue.html

Poverty in the Philippines is a sad reality, and yet the Filipino people have
shown little interest to solve the debilitating situation. The inactivity of the
people must be due to the lack of information provided to them. Hence, I
have compiled facts regarding the poverty in Philippines, something that
every Filipino citizen should take a look. Studies have known that:

Although there has been lessened poverty incidences from mid-80s to

mid-90s, it did nothing to income distribution, where 1/5 of the poorest
only experience a 0.5% income increase for every 1% average income
growth.

The Asian economic crisis and the El Nino phenomenon that started in
1997 increased the number of Filipino earning at around $276, the
minimum wage requirement, from 27 to 31 million.

Hunger and malnutrition is a predominant effect of poverty, as 13.2%

of the population are energy-starved while 20% of adolescents and 32%
of pre-school students are underweight in 2000

The effects of poverty continues to trudge in the Philippines, and if we, the
Filipino people, do not do anything about it, then there may be no future for
the country.