POVERTY The poorest people will also have less access to health, education and other services.

Problems of hunger, malnutrition and disease afflict the poorest in society. The poorest are also typically marginalized from society and have little representation or voice in public and political debates, making it even harder to escape poverty. Around the world, in rich or poor nations, poverty has always been present. In most nations today, inequalitythe gap between the rich and the pooris quite high and often widening. The causes are numerous, including a lack of individual responsibility, bad government policy, exploitation by people and businesses with power and influence, or some combination of these and other factors. Poverty in the Philippines is a major obstacle to the success of future generations of the Filipino. But we can break the Philippine poverty cycle and reduce unemployment in the Philippines POVERTY in the Philippines is a crisis. The poverty threshold itself weighs in at around $1.70 per day, or about $600 per year. Approximately 33% of the population lives below this poverty line. In addition, despite advances in sanitation, nearly 20% of the population still does not have access to clean and safe drinking water. Approximately the same number of people do not have electricity. Amazingly, there is still a vast number (>14%) who do not have the luxury of a sanitary toilet, but instead use a latrine or the nearest bush. What about nutrition itself? The primary cause of malnutrition is related to the poor distribution of food which certainly manifests itself in the widespread poverty and high unemployment in the Philippines. Protein and fat sources are much more difficult to find among the poor, with the primary staple being rice. Rice is high in carbohydrates, but is a starch which turns to sugar when ingested. This is a main factor in the spread of diabetes among the Philippine people, which is devastating to the poor who already have inadequate access to medical help. It is not all bad news, however. As the Lord continues to raise up those who understand the causes of poverty in the Philippines and the resources to respond the situation is improving with each passing decade. Filipinos are a people of hope, work ethic, and resourcefulness, and the onslaught of poverty will slowly begin to be repelled and the victory won. What about nutrition itself? The primary cause of malnutrition is related to the poor distribution of food which certainly manifests itself in the widespread poverty and high unemployment in the Philippines. Protein and fat sources are much more difficult to find among the poor, with the primary staple being rice. Rice is high in carbohydrates, but is a starch which turns to sugar when ingested.

This is a main factor in the spread of diabetes among the Philippine people, which is devastating to the poor who already have inadequate access to medical help. It is not all bad news, however. As the Lord continues to raise up those who understand the causes of poverty in the Philippines and the resources to respond the situation is improving with each passing decade. Filipinos are a people of hope, work ethic, and resourcefulness, and the onslaught of poverty will slowly begin to be repelled and the victory won. Medical services All services performed, provided, or arranged by the Services to promote, improve, conserve, or restore the mental or physical well-being of personnel. These services include, but are not limited to, the management of health services resources, such as manpower, monies, and facilities; preventive and curative health measures; evacuation of the wounded, injured, or sick; selection of the medically fit and disposition of the medically unfit; blood management; medical supply, equipment, and maintenance thereof; combat stress control; and medical, dental, veterinary, laboratory, optometric, medical food, and medical intelligence services.

Unstable peace and order condition is among the perennial problems affectingeconomic activities in the Muslim areas. The presence of this problem can beattributed to several factors. Among them are the considerable number of poor andneedy people who eventually act according to their carnal desire, and the politicalrivalry among politicians to gain power. In the electoral process, they even went to theextent of using their high-powered guns.The adverse effect of unstable peace and order on socioeconomic conditionhas been cited by several authorities. Sarip (1995:68) in his study mentioned thatunstable peace and order condition is one of the stumbling block for the realization of the full development of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The foreigninvestors may be reluctant to establish and continue their business activities in thearea. In another source of information, foreign investments may not immediatelycome in but a few investors have declared that they will look Philippines again oncethe political situation establishes (PDI, January 22, 2001)