POVERTY & HISTORY OF POVERTY

• Poverty


  The condition where the basic needs of a family, like food, shelter, clothing, and education are not fulfilled. It can lead to other problems like poor literacy, unemployment and malnutrition.
• Theory of the Culture of Poverty


  • The causes of poverty include money and the economy, labor wages and production for profit, a high rate of employment and underemployment of unskilled labor, low wages, and insufficient social and economic institutions to support the low-income population.
• Types of Poverty


  • Situational - caused by a sudden crisis or loss and is often temporary
  • Generational - occurs in families where at least two generations have been born into poverty
  • Absolute - involves a scarcity of such necessities as shelter, running water, and food
  • Relative - economic status of a family whose income is insufficient to meet its society's average standard of living
  • Urban - set of economic and social difficulties that are found in industrialized cities
  • Rural - condition of lacking the financial resources and essentials for living
• Common Causes of Poverty


  • Natural Disasters
  • Man-made Disaster
  • Corruption/Bad Governance
  • Lack of Opportunities and Resources
• Natural disasters in the Philippines have cost US$23 billion in damages since 1990, which has slowed down development.
• Man-made Disaster


  Have an element of human intent, negligence, or error involving a failure of a man-made system, as opposed to natural disasters resulting from natural hazards. Such man-made disasters are crime, arson, civil disorder, terrorism, war, biological/chemical threat, cyber-attacks, etc.
• Poverty has also been linked to bad governance, corruption, and a political system dominated by political dynasties. The country's poorest provinces are ruled by political dynasties.
• The low investment in education and insufficient supply of decent jobs contribute to the extreme income inequality.
• The first semester 2023 poverty incidence among the population or the proportion of poor Filipinos whose per capita income is not sufficient to meet their basic food and non-food needs was estimated at 22.4 percent or 25.24 million Filipinos, decreased from 23.7 percent.
• Among families, the First Semester 2023 poverty incidence was estimated at 16.4 percent, which was equivalent to 4.51 million poor families in the first semester of 2023 from 18.0 percent in the same period of 2021, equivalent to 230,000 households escaping poverty.
• The Spanish colonial era in the Philippines resulted in poverty and social and economic decline, primarily in key cities like Manila.
• The Americans introduced a legislative body, creating a ruling class of provincial landowning politicians. Despite the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War, Manila's wealthy families retained their wealth and prominence.
• During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines from 1942 to 1945, the country's population steadily declined due to disease spread and lack of basic necessities. Food shortages, particularly in Manila, made it difficult for the average person to find basic supplies, highlighting the darkest period in Philippine history.
• The worst years were 1981 to 1985, when inflation averaged over 20% and unemployment averaged nearly 11%, with a high of 12.6% in 1985. Between two-thirds and three-fourths of the 54 million Filipinos who lived in the country in 1985 were considered to be poor; at least 27 million of them, or up to half (49%) of the total population, lived in extreme poverty those who were categorized as "poor" according to the low official poverty line.
• Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program


  A national poverty reduction strategy that provides grants for extremely poor households for a maximum of 7 years to improve nutrition and education of children ages 0-18
• Magna Carta of the Poor


  Implementing government agencies and concerned departments must establish a system to meet the rights to adequate food, decent work, relevant and quality education, adequate housing, and highest attainable standard of health
• Magna Carta for Women


  A human rights law that seeks to eliminate discrimination against women by recognizing, protecting and empowering them especially those in the marginalized sector
• Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education


  Aims to help underprivileged Filipino students to pursue college degrees through free tuition and exemption of other fees in state universities and colleges
• Universal Health Care Act


  Guarantees that all Filipinos will have equitable access to quality and affordable health care goods and services and be protected against financial risks
• Prohibition of Child Marriage Law


  Enacted on December 10, 2021
• Domestic Administrative Adoption and Child Care

  Enacted on January 6, 2022
• Social Amelioration Package (SAP)

  The "Bayanihan to Recover as One Act" mandated government amelioration programs to help 18 million Filipinos affected by CoVid-19
• United Registered Social Workers


  Social workers organized themselves online to provide psychosocial support to Filipinos affected by the CoVid-19 pandemic
• Magna Carta for Public Social Workers


  Enacted in 2007, it provided more benefits in terms of salaries and allowances, leaves, and protection from interference, intimidation, harassment, and assured security of tenure, the exercise of their rights to join, organize, or assist organizations and unions, and opportunities for continuing professional growth and development
• Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)


  Private, non-profit, voluntary organizations committed to Socio-economic development and established primarily for service. They serve as intermediaries between the government and the POS, advocating for disadvantaged individuals, providing financing, establishing linkages, and undertaking advocacies.
• Poverty


  The condition of being without funds or the means to adequately support oneself of one's family
• Non Monetary Aspects of Poverty

  • Relationship/Social Life
  • Time Use
  • Family Planning
  • Voice
  • Human Rights
• Types of Poverty


  • Situational poverty
  • Generational poverty
  • Absolute poverty
  • Relative poverty
  • Rural poverty
  • Urban poverty
• Dimensions of Poverty


  • Basic Needs
  • Access to social and political participation
  • Personal and professional development
  • Identity and connections
  • Meaningfulness of life
• Social Welfare Indicator (SWI)


  Describes a set of conditions and situations and resource utilization that enables a client to function adequately and make full use of opportunities available in the community to improve his situation or resolve problems and also determines the level of economic and social well-being of a client
• Three Levels of Family Well-Being

  • Survival - Food poor/Chronic Poor
  • Subsistence - Income poor
  • Self-sufficiency - Near Poor/Transient Poor
• Two Major Indicators (Major Components)

  • Economic Sufficiency - Employment, Employable skills, Income, Social Security and access to Financial Institutions
  • Social Adequacy - Health, Education, Housing, Role performance of family, Family awareness