Nearly 20 million Filipinos living in poverty | News Night

Summary

In the Philippines, the number of people living in poverty increased from 16.7% to 18.1% between 2018 and 2021, affecting nearly 20 million individuals. The health crisis, restrictions on mobility, and limited access to regular employment are cited as key factors. The government, through the social economic planning secretary, Arsenio Balisagan, aims to address this by focusing on job creation and economic reopening. Meanwhile, the social welfare department is reviewing programs and lists of beneficiaries for the conditional cash transfer program to better assist the impoverished, like Leila from Tambogon, who relies on vegetable sales and government aid to support her family.

Takeaways

• 🌧️ Leila from Tambogon is resilient despite bad weather, as she sells vegetables to support her family.
• 👷‍♂️ Leila's husband is a construction worker, and their combined income is crucial for their family's survival.
• 💰 The family is grateful for the government's Cash Aid, but it's not enough to cover all their needs.
• 📈 The poverty rate in the Philippines increased from 16.7% to 18.1% between 2018 and 2021, affecting nearly 20 million people.
• 🏥 The ongoing health crisis is cited as a significant factor contributing to the rise in poverty.
• 🚫 Restrictions and limited mobility have hindered economic opportunities, especially for low-income households.
• 🔑 The lack of regular and productive jobs is a key issue affecting the earning capacity of the poor.
• 📈 The administration plans to focus on job creation to reduce poverty by the end of their term in 2028.
• 🤝 The social economic planning secretary emphasizes the need for collaboration between agencies to address poverty.
• 🔍 The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is reviewing its programs and beneficiary lists to better target assistance.

Q & A

What is the main challenge faced by Leila Tambogon despite the bad weather?

Leila Tambogon's main challenge is to sell vegetables to support her family, which includes a construction worker husband and four other family members. The income from her livelihood, along with government cash aid, is not sufficient for their survival.

How has the health crisis affected the lives of Filipinos according to the script?

The health crisis has made things difficult for Filipinos, increasing poverty levels and adding burdens due to the rising prices of basic goods.

What is the percentage increase in poverty in the Philippines from 2018 to 2021 according to the script?

The percentage of people living in poverty in the Philippines increased from 16.7 percent to 18.1 percent between 2018 and 2021.

How many more people in the Philippines were living in poverty in 2021 compared to 2018?

Nearly 20 million people were living in poverty in 2021, compared to over 17 million three years prior in 2018.

What factors does Secretary Arsenio Balisagan attribute to the increase in poverty rates?

Secretary Arsenio Balisagan attributes the increase in poverty rates to the lingering health crisis, restrictions on mobility, and the low earning capacity of poor households due to limited access to regular and productive jobs.

What is the government's plan to address poverty by the end of their term in 2028?

The government plans to focus on job creation, with the expectation that more Filipinos will get out of poverty as the economy reopens.

What is the social welfare department's approach to reducing poverty levels?

The social welfare department is reviewing programs and tapping other agencies to help the poor. They are also reviewing the list of beneficiaries for the conditional cash transfer program.

How does the social welfare department plan to identify the poorest families?

The social welfare department plans to work hand in hand with the poverty incident report to identify the poorest families and match them with government programs.

What is the discrepancy between the number of poorest families identified by the social welfare department and the statistics body?

The social welfare department identified over 5 million poorest families, which is higher than the over 3 million identified by the statistics body.

What is the government's immediate assistance plan for struggling individuals like Leila Tambogon?

The government's immediate assistance plan for struggling individuals includes the conditional cash transfer program, which Leila Tambogon hopes to receive sooner rather than later.