The document discusses problems and challenges facing rural development in the Philippines. It outlines several key issues in rural regions, including low incomes, unemployment, and lack of access to education and healthcare. Some major impediments to rural development are identified as poor transportation and road infrastructure, inadequate rural healthcare systems, problems with rural education like lack of funding and resources, high unemployment rates, and digital poverty due to weak connectivity in rural areas. Overall, the document analyzes socioeconomic issues impacting quality of life for the rural population in the Philippines and directions for improving rural development.

1. Problems
Issues &
Directions
Presented by: Jonathan M. Moratillo
Professor : Jo Bitonio, DPA
PHILIPPINE RURAL DEVELOPMENT

2. Points of Discussion
Rural Population Life in Rural
Philippines Impediments
& Directions

3. RURAL REGIONS
Philippine rural regions cover a variety of agricultural lands, forests, farms, small
industrial and regional centers.
Compared with urban residents, people in rural areas have fewer choices in the
social and economic terms.
Problems; low income, unemployment, low quality of social services like
education and healthcare, and the need for well-developed transport
infrastructure to support economic development.

4. RURAL DEVELOPMENT
“When we consider the word ‘development’, in its narrow sense could be
interpreted as increasing the income per capita, but in the broader definition of
the term, it includes the social and economic characteristics such as life
expectancy, literacy rates, & income distribution.” – P. Surchev
PROBLEMS & CHALLENGES
“The occurrence of these problems and challenges not only impose detrimental
effects upon the living conditions of the individuals, but also impose barriers
within the course of their progression” to those living in the Rural Areas. – Dr.
Radhika Kapur

5. Rural Population
Rural population
Refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national
statistical offices and is calculated as the difference
between total population and urban population.
Rural population (% of total population) in Philippines was
reported at 52.32 % in 2021, according to the World Bank
collection of development indicators,; Philippines - Rural
population - actual values, historical data, forecasts and
projections sourced from the World Bank in July of 2022.
•For 2021 was 58,095,301, a 0.81% increase from 2020.
•For 2020 was 57,630,884, a 0.86% increase from 2019.
•For 2019 was 57,140,716, a 0.91% increase from 2018.
•For 2018 was 56,624,425, a 0.98% increase from 2017.

6. In many rural Filipino communities, it is subsistence living, growing and rearing what they eat.
Uncontrollable factors, such as devastating weather, can have a significant effect on food production.
Each of these hard-working communities supplies food and materials for their rural villages as well as
for surrounding cities.
Children in rural Komunidads are incredibly active. You can often observe children actively utilizing
their environmental elements and natural scenery to make a large playground within their local
community.
CHILDREN & FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY
Life in Rural Philippines

7. • Children in Rural Communities enjoy the space &
safety to play outside.
• Rural Communities are filled with friends who share
a passion for adventure
• With trees to climb, bugs to catch, and plenty of dirt
to dig in, even the simplest backyard outing can be
an adventure.
• Children growing up in Rural Communities often
get creative with how they play.
• Rearing piglets is a good business opportunity.
• Each of these hard-working communities supplies
food and materials for their rural villages as well as
for surrounding cities. They are crucial contributors
to their society’s survival and future.

8. • Handcrafted items are an additional
source of income for rural Filipino
Families
• Three-wheeled vehicles or tricycles and habal
– habal motorcycles are the main
transportation service for people to travel
around.
• Uncontrollable factors, such as devastating
weather can have a significant effect on food
production and livelihood.
• In Caring Community, a child
is never alone.

9. IMPEDIMENTS OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
SOCIAL ASPECT
It’s about improving the well-being ‘of
every individual in the society so they
can reach their full potential which
affects and contributes to the success
of the society.
ECONOMIC ASPECT
According to P. Surchev, 2010, it can
be defined as those activities that lead
to more productive use of resources
and provide more opportunities to
producers and consumers.
SOME AREAS OF CONCERN
• Roads and Transportation
• Rural Healthcare Situation
• Problems of Rural Education
• High Unemployment Rate
• Digital Poverty

10. AREA OF CONCERN
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
IMPEDIMENTS
Roads and Transportation
A major constraint with developing and maintaining rural roads is the fact that they are, unfortunately, rural.
The areas where they are needed are often difficult to access, logistics become complicated, local
contracting capability is limited, engineers are few and far between, and younger engineers especially, are
not keen to leave the urban environment.
Considering that the rural environment is often the growth engine of a country - the food supply, and the
rural population are custodians of the environment and ecosystems, Planners of rural development need to
understand the complexities of these interconnecting priorities and need to know how the road provision
fits into the larger goals of rural development, and the priorities for economic and social growth.
Studies carried out in South-East Asia found a strong correlation between lack of access to basic
infrastructure and poverty. Conversely, villages provided with road access produced more than they did
before. The problem with gravel roads is that they often deteriorate rapidly, especially in the wet season,
disrupting transport services and access to health centers and markets when it is most needed, thus
maintenance of such roads is also a concern.

11. AREA OF CONCERN
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
IMPEDIMENTS
Rural Healthcare Situation
Everyone has the right to basic healthcare. Unfortunately, not every Filipino patient gets the healthcare
service he deserves. There is a stark difference between healthcare service in a public and private hospital,
and those located in urban and rural areas.
There is a huge difference between hospitals in urban and rural areas. Hospitals in urban areas have more
manpower than those located in rural areas, primarily because of their accessibility and better pay.
Therefore, Rural hospitals are at a disadvantage because their location makes it difficult for them to acquire
all the medical supplies and equipment they need, add to that, the challenge in manpower. According to
Government Think Tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), about 75% of cities and
municipalities across the country have insufficient number of healthcare workers.
Plus, a lot of rural hospitals have yet to embrace tools of digitalization, such as the cloud and artificial
intelligence (AI). A lot of processes are still done manually, which costs a lot of time and resources. Thus, a
lot of people residing in rural areas don’t get the healthcare service they need.

12. AREA OF CONCERN
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
IMPEDIMENTS
Problems of Rural Education
In the Philippines, lack of quality education has always been an issue, but in recent years we are seeing a
growing gap between the quality education of those in rural areas and those in urban areas. Although
public education is free, there are many obstacles standing in the way for students living in rural Philippines
to receive the quality education they deserve. These obstacles prohibit most children living in rural areas
from receiving a proper schooling, affecting their future opportunities and possibilities.
The big reason that many children in rural areas do not attend school is due to large expenses, despite the
fact that public school is free.
Small amount of funding from the government means that the teachers hired are often unable to properly
teach students because of lack of resources, learning materials and other teaching tools. Poor quality
education in public schools in rural areas means that for the limited few who can afford to go to school,
they still do not receive a proper quality education.

13. AREA OF CONCERN
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
IMPEDIMENTS
High Unemployment Rate in Rural Areas
In an economy w/c is basically agricultural, landlessness is equal to growing unemployment.
According to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), rural workers are among the lowest salary
earner and among the poorest in the countryside. The entire agriculture sector posted the lowest labor
productivity rate of only P56,728 in 2012, way below the industry and services sectors rates of P351,024 and
P181,850, respectively, the NSCB said. It said farmers were only paid an average of P156.8 a day in 2011
while fishermen took home P178.43.
We also know that there is a very strong link between education and poverty. With such low household
income, it is expected that all members make some contribution to help make ends meet. This means that
even children must take whatever jobs they can get for extremely low wages, like street vending or working
for shops or farms compromising their education that could allow them to escape the cycle of poverty,
because if they stick through school, they are more likely to get a higher paying job as an adult and leave
poverty behind them.

14. AREA OF CONCERN
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
IMPEDIMENTS
Digital Poverty
In the Philippines, connectivity remains higher in urban centers and weak digital infrastructures persist in
more rural areas. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) cites that a
higher incidence of urban households have internet compared to rural households, with Metro Manila
households having the highest access at 32.3%. The impact of the pandemic, coupled with the regulatory
environment and weak competition, have further hindered ICT policy interventions. The digital landscape
has made productivity a privilege and those without sufficient access are left behind, losing out on
opportunities from basic amenities and quality education to decent work and reskilling. In a post-COVID-
19 world, the challenges to the Philippines and other countries in delivering availability, accessibility and
affordability of reliable internet have never been greater.

15. INTERVENTIONS
- Setting priorities in the communities through effective and
democratic bodies, providing the local capacity, investment in
basic infrastructure and social services, justice, equity, and
security, dealing w/ the injustices of the past and ensuring safety
and security of the rural population.
- Provision of social infrastructures that provides the catalyst that
would transform the rural area.
- Establishment of Rural industries that will increase income.
- Reorganization and mobilization of rural masses to enhance
their capacity to effectively cope w/ the daily task of their lives
and w/ changes consequent upon this.
- Improvisation of food supplies and nutrition, together with
basic services, such as health and education, not only directly
improve the physical well-being and quality of life of the rural
poor but can also indirectly enhance their productivity and their
ability to contribute to the national economy.

16. SEE THE WORLD!
It’s more fantastic than any dream
made or paid for in factories
~ Ray Bradburry
It’s More Fun
in the Philippines
~ Department of Tourism

17. REFERENCES
• https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/PHL/philippines/rural-populationcom)
• https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/PHL/philippines/rural-population
• https://www.vitaminangels.org/stories/komunidad-life-in-rural-philippines
• https://blogs.worldbank.org/transport/the-problem-with-rural-transport-is-that-it-is-rural-the-solution-is-in-branding
• https://news.medhyve.com/2021/08/22/the-rural-healthcare-situation-in-the-philippines/
• http://legacy.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2009/0527_angara1.asp
• https://www.joghr.org/article/11962-challenges-in-public-health-facilities-and-services-evidence-from-a-geographically-
isolated-and-disadvantaged-area-in-the-philippines
• https://www.change.org/p/improve-access-to-rural-healthcare-services-and-facilities-in-the-philippines
• http://www.udyong.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8459:the-demotic-problems-of-rural-
education-in-the-philippines&catid=90&Itemid=1368
• https://knkphil.wixsite.com/website/post/lack-of-quality-education-in-rural-areas-in-the-philippines
• https://stories.thinkingmachin.es/mapping-digital-poverty-in-the-philippines/
• https://www.tropenbos.org/news/rural+livelihoods+in+times+of+crisis:+filipino+ngos+learn+from+covid-19