The document discusses several major social problems in the Philippines: poverty, inequality, crime, lack of access to healthcare, unemployment, environmental degradation, and lack of access to education. It notes that over 5.6 million Filipino families live in poverty, inequality is perpetuated across generations, crime rates have recently increased, approximately 12% of the population lacks health insurance, unemployment decreased in 2023 but remains an issue, 20% of land is degraded, and many children lack access to schooling. Addressing these complex and interrelated issues is important for improving quality of life in the Philippines.

1. PROBLEMS IN PURSUIT OF SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES
DPA315
SPECIALISSUESINSOCIALDEVELOPMENTANDCHANGE
GERALD Q. REYES JO BITONIO, DPA
PRESENTER PROFESSOR

2. Introduction
The Philippines is a country with a
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#:~:text=Phili
ppines%20(Ranked%2084th)%20%3A%3A%20Legatum
%20Prosperity%20Index%202023

5. Retrieved at:
https://www.prosperity.com/globe/philippines#:~:text=Philippines%20(Ranked%2084th)%20%3A%3A%20Legatum%20Prospe
rity%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%20perio
d%20in%202022.

18. ◦ Trading Economics. Philippines Unemployment Rate. Retrieved at:
https://tradingeconomics.com/philippines/unemployment-
rate#:~:text=Unemployment%20Rate%20in%20Philippines%20averaged,percent
%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%20major
%20challenges%20facing%20Philippine%20schools,-
byiTacloban%20%E2%80%A2&text=Basic%20Education%20Report%202023%20
highlights,schools%2C%20and%20poor%20learning%20outcomes

19. ALL THE BEST!
THANK YOU!