Good morning to everyone in this room. I would like to thank the principal, the teachers, and my dear friends for allowing me to speak to you today about poverty in the Philippines. The Philippines has been able to lower this figure through a number of anti-poverty initiatives, including the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform, Lingap Para sa Mahirap, and the Social Reform Agenda.
The Millennium Development Goal milestone of reducing poverty, however, has taken a long time to achieve. Most of the self-employed farmers, fishermen, and other agricultural workers that comprise the poor in the Philippines reside in high-disaster risk areas. Although the quality of education has increased over time, more than 60% of households only have access to primary education.
The Global Hunger Index of 2022 placed the Philippines at position 69 out of 121 nations, with a “moderate” degree of hunger. Out of the 106 million people living in the nation, 4.5 million were homeless, with 3 million living in Manila, the nation’s capital.
The Philippines is indeed the region that is most exposed to natural calamities, which results in significant income disparity and low growth. Uncontrolled population growth, a lack of access to healthcare, and a lack of well-paying jobs are the three main causes of poverty.
Since 1990, natural catastrophes have cost US$23 billion in losses, which has slowed down progress. Farmers in the Philippines are among the most affected since floods and landslides significantly reduce their crops and revenue. The goal of the government’s programs to fight poverty is to make life better for those who are most in need. Thank you.
R
