DPA 315 Special Issues on Social Development and Change

1. Problems in Pursuit of Social
Development in the Philippines
Professor Presented by:
Josefina B. Bitonio, DPA Gerald Q. Reyes

2. Introduction
The Philippines is a country with a lot of social problems. These
problems often lead to poverty and desperation as people
struggle to make ends meet. Additionally, they can lead to crime.
The government and other institutions need to address these
issues in order to improve the lives of Filipinos and the country as
a whole.

3. Poverty
• One of the most glaring social problems in the Philippines is poverty.
• There are over 5.6 million Filipino families living in poverty as of 2022,
according to findings of the Listahanan 3 survey released by the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). This is an
increase from 5.2 million families who were identified as poor during
the Listahanan 2 survey, which was completed in 2015.
• The causes of poverty in the Philippines are varied and complex, but
include lack of access of education, employment opportunities, and land
ownership.
• With such a large percentage of the population affected by poverty, it’s no
wonder that many other social problem arise from or are exacerbated by
it.

4. Retrieved at:
https://www.prosperity.com/globe/philippines#:~:t
ext=Philippines%20(Ranked%2084th)%20%3A%3
A%20Legatum%20Prosperity%20Index%202023

5. Retrieved at:
https://www.prosperity.com/globe/philippines#:~:t
ext=Philippines%20(Ranked%2084th)%20%3A%3
A%20Legatum%20Prosperity%20Index%202023

6. Inequality
• This manifests in a number of ways, but one of the most visible is
the gap between the rich and the poor.
• There are those who have plenty while others have very little.
This disparity is due to a number of factors, including access to
education, employment opportunities, and land ownership.
• The unequal distribution of resources leads to tension and
conflict, as well as a feeling of hopelessness among those who
feel they will never be able to improve their lot in life.

7. • In the Philippines inequality starts even before birth and is perpetuated
over the life cycle.
• It starts with maternal nutrition and health during a child’s gestation.
Differences continue into childhood, where disparities in access to health
care, proper nutrition, safe drinking water, sanitation, and quality
education determine the extent to which a child’s human capital develops.
• Inequality shapes outcomes later in life, such as employment
opportunities and income, which in turn influence how much Filipinos as
adults are able to invest in developing the human capital of their own
children.
• While the Philippines has been making progress in many of these areas,
notably in access to such basic services as electricity, safe drinking water,
improved sanitation, and school enrollment, persistent large disparities
between its regions remain, relating to households’ income levels and
maternal education.
• Inequality of opportunity and low intergenerational mobility result in a
waste of human potential, a lack of innovation, and a misallocation of
human capital.

8. Crime
• In 2022, there were about 379.5 thousand crime incidents recorded in the
Philippines, indicating a slight increase from the previous year 2021.
• As of March 29, 2023, a total of 7,865 index crimes have been reported
from January 1 to March 25, which is lower than the 9,375 incidents during
the same period in 2022 (Philippine Information Agency)
• Index crimes include murder, homicide, robbery, theft and rape.
• Many of these crimes are fueled by poverty and desperation, as people
resort to whatever means necessary to survive. But even beyond that,
there are many cases of corruption and abuse of power that lead to crime.
This problem is further compounded by a lack of access to justice for
many Filipinos

9. Lack of Access to Healthcare
• According to the World Health Organization, around 12% of the
population does not have health insurance.
• This leaves them vulnerable in case of illness or injury, as they may not be
able to afford treatment.
• Additionally, many rural areas do not have adequate medical facilities or
personnel.
• This means that even if people could afford treatment, they might not be
able to get it in time or at all.
• The lack of access to healthcare leads to increased morbidity and mortality
rates for preventable diseases and injuries.

10. Unemployment
• The unemployment rate in the Philippines decreased to 4.7 percent in
March 2023 from 5.8 percent in the same month a year earlier, as the
economy recovered further from pandemic disruptions.
• The number of unemployed persons was 2.42 million, down 0.46 million
from 2.88 million in March 2022.
• Meanwhile, the number of employed increased by 1.61 million to 48.58
million compared to the same period last year. The services sector
accounted for the largest share of employment (59.0 percent), followed by
the agriculture sector (23.5 percent) and the industry sector (17.5 percent).
Meanwhile, labor force participation climbed to 66.0 percent from 65.4
percent in March 2022.
• The causes of unemployment in the Philippines are varied and complex,
but include lack of access to education, employment opportunities, and
land ownership.

11. Environmental Degradation
• According to World Bank, around 20% of the country’s land area is
considered degraded.
• This means that it has been damaged by human activity to the point
where it can no longer support its original purpose, whether that be
agriculture, forestry, or habitat for wildlife.
• Deforestation, pollution and over exploitation of natural resources are all
major contributors to environmental degradation.
• The effects of this problem are far-reaching, as it leads to loss of
biodiversity, soil erosion, and climate change.

12. Environmental Degradation
• Over the course of the year, air pollution has become particularly
problematic in the Philippines. Going by World Health
Organization’s health and environment scorecard, the country records an
annual mean of 24 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³) for fine
particulate matter, significantly surpassing the recommended maximum
level of 5 µg/m³.
• For the most part, air pollution in the Philippines stems from the burning
of fossil fuels like coal and oil. Considering that 53% of the population is
without access to clean fuels and technology for cooking, this is bound to
further exacerbate air quality in the long run.

13. Environmental Degradation
• Although the government introduced the Clean Air Act of 1999, groups
like Greenpeace Philippines and the Center for Research on Energy and
Clean Air (CREA) point out its outdated nature in the international
community. For this reason, there have been pressing calls for the
government to update its standards to meet the reality of air pollution in
the country.

14. Lack of Access to Education
• One of the most pressing social issues in the Philippines is lack of access to
education. This leaves them at a disadvantage when it comes to finding
employment or even just understanding basic social issues.
• The lack of school facilities and resources is the most pressing issue
confronting the Philippine basic education system.
• The country currently has 327,851 school buildings, with only 104,536 in
good condition. Another 100,072 require minor repairs, 89,252 require
major repairs, and 21,727 are on the verge of being condemned according
to the Basic Education Report 2023 presented by VP Sara Duterte.
• Additionally, many children do not have access to schooling at all. This is
due to a number of factors, including poverty, distance from schools, and
lack of resources in rural areas. The lack of access to education leads to
increased rates of unemployment and poverty.

15. It is not easy to pinpoint and list down the social problems of the
Philippines, because it is far reaching and pervasive. It is like
snowball that keeps getting bigger and bigger. So how can we
even consider starting with that? The better question would be
what could we do about it? There are many possible answers to
this question, but one thing we can do is to start small.

16. We can start with ourselves and extend it to our families, loved
ones, friends and other people around us. If we can’t do anything
about the bigger issues surrounding us, we should at least take
time to help those who are under our care.

17. References
• Macasero, Ryan. 2022 November 24. Over 5.6 million Filipino families living in
poverty-DSWD. Retrieved at: https://www.rappler.com/nation/filipino-families-
living-in-poverty-2022-dswd/
• Stipp, Horst. 2022. Total number of criminal incidents recorded in the
Philippines from 2020 to 2022. Retrieved at:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1270736/philippines-number-of-crime-
incidents/
• Paunan, Jerome Carlo. 2023 March 29. Index Crime Nationwide Decreases by
16%-PNP
. Retrieved at: https://pia.gov.ph/news/2023/03/29/index-crime-
nationwide-decreases-by-16-
pnp#:~:text=MANILA%2C%20(PIA)%20%2D%2D%20A,the%20same%20peri
od%20in%202022.

18. References
• Trading Economics. Philippines Unemployment Rate. Retrieved at:
https://tradingeconomics.com/philippines/unemployment-
rate#:~:text=Unemployment%20Rate%20in%20Philippines%20averaged,perc
ent%20in%20November%20of%202022
• Duterte, Sara. 2023 January 30. Basic Education Report 2023. Retrieved at:
https://www.itacloban.com/2023/01/basic-education-report-
2023.html#:~:text=Basic%20Education%20Report%202023%20unveils%20ma
jor%20challenges%20facing%20Philippine%20schools,-
byiTacloban%20%E2%80%A2&text=Basic%20Education%20Report%202023%
20highlights,schools%2C%20and%20poor%20learning%20outcomes

19. All the best!
Thank You!