NAME: Allysa Mae B. Escalicas.
SECTION: Grade 8 HELIUM
TITLE : EXAMINING BIASES
OPINION
EDITORIAL - The challenge of poverty
The Philippine Star
May 27, 2022 | 12:00am
One of the toughest challenges facing the country’s first majority president in decades is
poverty, which has worsened in the two years of mobility restrictions due to the pandemic.
This week the Commission on Population and Development reported that in 2015, the poverty
rate stood at 23 percent. This improved to a low of 16 percent in 2019 under President Duterte.
Popcom had hoped to bring down the level to 14 percent. With the COVID-19 pandemic,
however, the poverty rate surged back to 23.7 percent last year, Popcom reported.
This translates to 26.14 million Filipinos living below the poverty threshold, which is defined as an
average monthly income of P12,082 for a family of five. Surveys have also shown self-rated
hunger rising due to the pandemic, although this has since tapered off with the gradual easing
of restrictions. As of December last year, the fourth quarter survey conducted by Social
Weather Stations Inc. showed that 11.8 percent of families, or approximately three million,
reported experiencing involuntary hunger, with the highest incidence reported in Metro Manila
Malnutrition and undernourishment have been blamed for physical and mental stunting
among children, which aggravates problems posed by poverty. Poor reading comprehension
among 15-year-old Filipino students has been blamed partly on poverty and poor nutrition.
The government has tried to ease poverty through cash dole-outs, both conditional and
unconditional. State resources are limited, however, especially with the country buried in P12.68
trillion in debt as of end-March. Poverty alleviation is also better achieved through
empowerment of the poor, by providing them opportunities and a level playing field for
personal advancement as they pursue their chosen career paths.