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PHILIPPINE NATIONAL SITUATION

Center for Social Concern and ActionDe La Salle University

Insights on Political RealitiesRenewed trust in the democratic system (as

manifested in the results of (and responses to) May Elections)

From public cynicism/resignation to a sense of hope

From protest/opposition to possibility of critical engagement and collaboration

From institutional impunity to accountability

Insights on Political RealitiesPeriod of Transition & Adjustment

Political jockeying manifested in appointments of Cabinet Officials

Handling of crisis situation (e.g. hostage crisis)Will the Aquino administration deliver on its

promises?How is P-Noy going to meet the expectations

from different sectors (e.g. addressing corruption, reducing the poverty incidence etc.)?

Tuwid na Daan, Patungo Saan?

Insights on Political RealitiesThe Good Governance Challenge

‘Dichotomies’ in Aquino Administration

Personality-based factions (Mar vs. Binay; Hyatt10 vs. Kamag-anak Inc.)

Ideology/Policy-oriented differences (status quo vs. reforms)

‘Mixed signals and maintenance of status quo in Congressional and local elections’ (e.g. trapos and allies of GMA are still in Senate and HoR)

Insights on Political RealitiesThe Good Governance Challenge

How to address the ‘institutional and political problems inherited from the Arroyo government’ (Tolosa, 2010)Budget deficit issue ‘Arroyo Supreme Court’

How to address the decades-old ‘justice insurgencies’ (e.g. CPP-NPA, MILF)

How to address other fundamental/structural problems (e.g. land reform, HLI)

Socio-economic Stat & IndicatorsHuman Development Index (HDI)*

In the latest HDR edition (2007/2008), the Philippines ranked 90th among 177 countries, lower by six places since the last ranking when in placed 84th

The country remains in the category of countries with “medium human development”

*HDI is a summary measure of human development that seeks to gauge the average achievement in a country in three

basic HD dimensions: a long and healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of living (UNDP 2007)

Socio-economic Stat & IndicatorsHDI local regional performances & international

comparisonsIf Philippine regions/provinces were countries,

how would they fare against other countries?

At the top of local list, Metro Manila is between Lebanon and Peru, higher than Thailand but lower than Turkey

Benguet (HDI2) is equivalent to ArmeniaCebu is equal to Palestinian territoriesDavao del Sur, Abra and Bohol are between

Nicaragua and UzbekistanTawi-tawi (Philippines’ poorest province in

terms of HDI) is between Nigeria and Senegal

Social Inequities

Poverty in the Philippines

What is poverty?

Refers to the condition, in which the basic needs of human beings are not being met and people lack the necessary food, clothing, or shelter to survive.

(ADB) deprivation of essential assets and opportunities to which every human is entitled

Who are poor?28 million people in 2006, up 16 percent from 2003, could not scrap together the 42 pesos ($1) a day (deemed the bare minimum to get by)More than 12 million people could not meet the 27.8 pesos a day threshold for food

Who are rich?

As of 2003, less than 1 in 100 families belongs to the high income class; (2010) P2.4M

Who are relatively ok?

The middle income class may be defined as those families who, in 2007, have total annual income ranging from P251, 283 to P2,045,280

NSCBIn 2010, to be counted in the high-

income class, a family should earn at least PhP 2,393,126 a year or PhP 199,927 a month compared to PhP 2,000,073 a year or PhP 166,673 a month in 2006!  (NSCB)

In 2006, the rich numbered 19,738 families or 0.1% of the estimated 17, 403,483 families in the country. Just like the middle-income class, the rich in our society have been dwindling,  from  0.3%  in 2000 (51,160 families) and  0.2% in 2003 (25,849 families). 

11 million Filipinos were either unemployed or underemployed in 2007

2 in 3 heads of poor families have at most an elementary education

2 in every 5 poor Filipino families do not have electricity in their homes

7 in 10 poor families have access to safe water

1 in 4 poor families has no sanitary toilet Almost half of poor families are living in

housing units with a floor area of 10 to 29 square meters

TOP TEN (Forbes Magazine)

1. Henry Sy -$3.8B2. Lucio Tan - $1.7B3. Jaime Zobel de Ayala -1.2B4. Andrew Tan $850M5. John Gokongwei -$720M6. Tony Tan Caktiong - $710M7. Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. -

$660M8. Enrique Razon - $620M9. Manuel Villar - $530M10. George Ty - $510M

1% Rich

19% Middle Income

80% Middle Income

Tatsulok

“Habang may tatsulok at sila ang nasa tuktok, Di matatapos itong gulo”

State of the Philippine Environment

Rapidly Deteriorating Environment

CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PHILIPINESThe Philippines has experienced temperature

spikes brought about by climate change. warming is experienced most in the northern and

southern regions of the country, while Metro Manila has warmed less than most

parts.warmed the most (northern Luzon, Mindanao)

have also dried the most.

Hot days and hot nights have become more frequent.

Extreme weather events have also occurred more frequently since 1980. These include deadly and damaging typhoons, floods, landslides, severe El Niño and La Niña events, drought, and forest fires.

Adversely affected sectors include agriculture, fresh water, coastal and marine resources and health.

Social Disintegration• 85.2 M Philippine population (NSO,2005),

43.4% or 32.8 M are children or below 18 years old

• 29 of 1,000 infants die before reaching 1 year old

• 4 M child laborer; 6 out of 10 are unpaid laborers

• 45,000 Street Children (estimate)

• Children become victims of child abuse, sex trafficking, prostitution

Source: IBON FACTS & FIGURES

Cultural education is not a priority in the formal education system (i.e from DECS to DepEd).

• Brain drain due to the trend of globalization of work opportunities

• Secondary and tertiary schools are becoming more of technical or vocational schools more than being “universities”

• Imbalanced exposure of youth towards Popular Culture -without any exposure of the other facets of historical culture

Social Disintegration…

• Cultural Materialism

• Of the 90 M population, 49.72% or 46M are women

• The poor and less educated families tend to have more children (5 kids), than richer families (3 kids)

• OFWs are victims of abuse abroad

Social Disintegration…

• Women are physically, sexually, emotionally abused Karahasan sa Kababaihan (RA 9262 o Violence Against Women and Children Law)

“Critical thinking involves questioning and synthesizing

what is learned in order to achieve knowledge, rather than

merely acquire information.”