Poverty
Poverty in the Philippines is a major issue. Once upon a time the Philippines use to be the second richest country in Asia, but now because of the war and corruption the Philippines is a very poor country. Statistics show that there are people earning less than $400 a year! According to data from the National Statistical Coordination Board in 2009, 26.5% of the population falls below the poverty line. About 23.1 million people are living in poverty in the Philippines.
One of the major factors for the poverty in the Philippines is the country's unmanaged population growth. Each year the population in the Philippines is increasing by 2.36% which equates to 5,000 people each day. This rapid population increase is a problem because there already isn't enough resources to support the population. A growing population means that there is even less resources for the population as well as fewer resources left to actually grow the economy.
High unemployment rates are also contributing to an increase in poverty. The Philippines are struggling to create jobs because of the lack of foreign investments. "The Philippines have hefty business procedures, poor tax and customs administration, weak protection against expropriation and high-energy costs". This has stopped the Philippines ability to grow and create jobs which means the poverty rate is not changing.
Poverty in the Philippines is a major issue. Once upon a time the Philippines use to be the second richest country in Asia, but now because of the war and corruption the Philippines is a very poor country. Statistics show that there are people earning less than $400 a year! According to data from the National Statistical Coordination Board in 2009, 26.5% of the population falls below the poverty line. About 23.1 million people are living in poverty in the Philippines.
One of the major factors for the poverty in the Philippines is the country's unmanaged population growth. Each year the population in the Philippines is increasing by 2.36% which equates to 5,000 people each day. This rapid population increase is a problem because there already isn't enough resources to support the population. A growing population means that there is even less resources for the population as well as fewer resources left to actually grow the economy.
High unemployment rates are also contributing to an increase in poverty. The Philippines are struggling to create jobs because of the lack of foreign investments. "The Philippines have hefty business procedures, poor tax and customs administration, weak protection against expropriation and high-energy costs". This has stopped the Philippines ability to grow and create jobs which means the poverty rate is not changing.
Corruption
Corruption in the government is still arguably one of the biggest issues in the Philippines. Bribery, embezzlement, graft, backdoor deals and other forms of corruption have been problems that occur among the leaders in the Philippines. Even if there was a good president it would be hard for him to make good changes to the country because the rest of the officials would not support something if it does not benefit them. Corruption in the government is one of the main reasons for many other problems in the Philippines.
In 2011 the Philippines was ranked 129th in a list of 178 countries based on how corrupt their government is seen as. The country scored a CPI of 2.6. The CPI is a scale from 0-10 which indicates the corruption of a government. A score of 0 means that a government is highly corrupt. Until the issue of corruption in the Philippines is solved the amount of people living in poverty will not decrease.
Environmental Issues
The Philippines used to be a place of great rain forests and undamaged land, but with an increase of population, industrialization and urbanization the environment is suffering. Some of the big environmental issues include over fishing, marine destruction, deforestation and pollution.
In the Philippines, fishers are coming home with less and less fish. This has come as a result of over-fishing in many areas. In some traditional fishing areas there has been a 90% decrease in the amount of fish. The failing stocks in the fish industry is leading to economic problems. It is estimated that losses in the fish industry is costing $420 million each year. This problem of over fishing comes as a result of ineffective policies and poor enforcement of laws regarding fishing.
The Philippines marine environment, including coral reefs and mangroves, is being damaged by coastal development. As the population in the Philippines is increasing so have the needs for building materials and living space. As the coast has been transformed to accommodate new developments the corals have suffered. Since 1900 64% of the mangroves in the Philippines have been destroyed because of industry and coastal development.
Deforestation is a serious problem in the Philippines. Only about 3% of the original forests still remain today. Agriculture, urbanization, illegal logging and forest fires has led to the forests being flattened and destroyed. In the Philippines this loss of forest is leading to further problems such as soil erosion and the endangering of many animal species. "Inconsistent laws, inadequate regulations, weak enforcement and lack of funding are making forest conservation a major challenge."
Not only is air pollution an issue in the Philippines, but issues such as waste pollution and water pollution are creating a massive problem. 90% of the Philippines sewage is pumped into the ocean. Only 10% is being treated and disposed of in a way that is environmentally friendly. Water pollution is a growing concern for the Philippines' rivers, lakes and coastal areas because of the growing population and the poor treatment of waste.
The Philippines used to be a place of great rain forests and undamaged land, but with an increase of population, industrialization and urbanization the environment is suffering. Some of the big environmental issues include over fishing, marine destruction, deforestation and pollution.
In the Philippines, fishers are coming home with less and less fish. This has come as a result of over-fishing in many areas. In some traditional fishing areas there has been a 90% decrease in the amount of fish. The failing stocks in the fish industry is leading to economic problems. It is estimated that losses in the fish industry is costing $420 million each year. This problem of over fishing comes as a result of ineffective policies and poor enforcement of laws regarding fishing.
The Philippines marine environment, including coral reefs and mangroves, is being damaged by coastal development. As the population in the Philippines is increasing so have the needs for building materials and living space. As the coast has been transformed to accommodate new developments the corals have suffered. Since 1900 64% of the mangroves in the Philippines have been destroyed because of industry and coastal development.
Deforestation is a serious problem in the Philippines. Only about 3% of the original forests still remain today. Agriculture, urbanization, illegal logging and forest fires has led to the forests being flattened and destroyed. In the Philippines this loss of forest is leading to further problems such as soil erosion and the endangering of many animal species. "Inconsistent laws, inadequate regulations, weak enforcement and lack of funding are making forest conservation a major challenge."
Not only is air pollution an issue in the Philippines, but issues such as waste pollution and water pollution are creating a massive problem. 90% of the Philippines sewage is pumped into the ocean. Only 10% is being treated and disposed of in a way that is environmentally friendly. Water pollution is a growing concern for the Philippines' rivers, lakes and coastal areas because of the growing population and the poor treatment of waste.