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| Photo by Sora Shimazaki |
Social Issues in the Philippines
There are many social issues in the Philippines that aren’t too different from those in other countries around the world, such as poverty, traffic, pollution, and human rights abuses. However, since the Philippines has been plagued by high levels of corruption, there are other social issues that are specific to this country alone—such as corruption itself! The following are the top 10 social issues in the Philippines today, and what you can do to help fix them.
1. Child Labor
Child labor is illegal in all countries of the world but according
to the International Labour Organization (ILO), an
estimated 152 million children around the world are victims of child labor today. A survey Article about social issues in
the Philippines reveals that over half of children living below the poverty
line work as laborers in the Philippines. These children work up to 14 hours a
day, are exposed to dangerous chemicals and radiation from electronic devices,
and are paid less than a dollar per day. Child labor is especially common in
plantations and mines, where children often do heavy labor for long periods of
time.
2. Human Trafficking
The most common social
issue in the Philippines is human trafficking. The country is a source,
destination, and transit point for human trafficking. This means that people
are being trafficked within as well as out of the country for labor. According to the Global Slavery Index report 2022, an estimated 784000 people living as modern-day slaves in the Philippines.
3. Politics and Corruption
One of the most pressing social issues in the Philippines is
politics and corruption. The Filipino people are tired of corrupt leaders who
are only interested in lining their pockets and not looking after their people.
In a recent survey, 94% of Filipinos believe that politicians will take
advantage of them if they get a chance. This is an issue that is felt across
all sectors as 85% of Filipinos have paid bribes or donated to a politician at
least once. There is a huge disconnect between what Filipinos want from their
government and what they're actually getting.
A result of this
dissatisfaction with politicians is that many Filipinos are giving up on the
idea of democracy altogether. 76% say it would be better to have one strong
leader than elected officials.
4. Poverty
Poverty is a huge social
issue in the Philippines. There are many reasons why poverty is so prevalent,
but one of the biggest is the lack of education. People who are impoverished often
can't afford to send their children to school, or they can't afford to pay for
schooling and need their children's labor on the farm. And even if they do have
an education, it doesn't necessarily lead to economic success: 60% of Filipinos
are unemployed which currently stands at 7%, as well as millions living below
the poverty line. In response to this, the government has established a program
that subsidizes education from elementary school through college in hopes that
more people will be able to get jobs with more education.
5. Natural Disasters
Natural disasters are an
all too common occurrence in the Philippines, and they can have a devastating
effect on both people and infrastructure. Poverty makes it difficult for many
Filipinos to afford proper housing or to get out of harm's way when disaster
strikes. This has led to increased numbers of deaths and injuries as well as a
higher risk of disease outbreaks due to poor sanitation conditions.
6. Climate Change and Deforestation
The issues of climate change and deforestation are complicated.
But, what’s worse is that they’re also issues that many Filipinos are unaware
of, and if they are aware, they don’t necessarily care or take action. Most
people living here aren’t conscious of just how serious these two issues
actually are; those who do understand it may not consider taking action to be a
priority. For example, one good way to address climate change would be to work
on limiting our carbon footprint by driving less and consuming less electricity
from non-renewable sources.
7. Political Division
The social issues in the Philippines are divided into two categories:
economic and political. The economic issues consist of poverty, unemployment,
and inequality. Poverty is a major problem for many Filipinos as 42% of them
live below the poverty line. It also has a huge impact on young people who
often feel like they have no future with no job or education prospects.
Unemployment is high with 7% (or 2 million) unemployed Filipino citizens and
28% (or 3 million) unemployed citizens aged 15-24 years old.
8. Illiteracy
Illiteracy is a major
social issue in the Philippines. Approximately 19% of Filipinos can't read or
write which places them at a disadvantage when competing for jobs. This has
contributed to poverty and unemployment rates. In 2003, an estimated 3.2
million Filipinos were unemployed, with 65% of those being unskilled. The
government does have programs that are designed to help illiterate people get an education, but they are usually insufficient due to a lack of funds.
9. Environmental Abuse
The top environmental
problem that is evident in the Philippines is pollution. The country's
pollution levels are one of the highest in Asia, and its capital city Manila
has been ranked as one of the world's dirtiest cities.
Pollution is due to a
number of factors, from industrial to agricultural waste and air emissions from
vehicles.
Due to environmental
abuse and pollution, the drinking water in the Philippines is unsafe. According
to UNESCO, 2.2 billion people
lack access to safe drinking water, which leads to nearly 1 million deaths per
year from diarrheal diseases, mostly among children. The World Health
Organization attributes nearly 80% of these deaths to unsafe water,
inadequate hygiene practices, and poor-quality housing conditions. For those
living in developing nations, water is a much bigger issue than people living
in developed countries realize.
10. Traffic Problems
Traffic problems are a top
issue because it can take hours to get from point A to point B. It's also not
uncommon for people to be late for work or lose their jobs due to traffic.
Plus, there is no public transportation system, so it forces people who don't
have cars out of work and into poverty.
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