C-E-R Activity

ECO2-1

1. Improvements in economic activities continue to increase economic growth in the

Philippines resulting to a decline in the poverty rate; however, its percentage is still
considered high in an Asian standard especially because of factors like, unemployment
in rural areas, unequal wealth distribution, natural disasters, conflict and etc.

2. The evidences found in the article that supports the claim are first, according to
economists, poverty lingered in the Philippines due to lack of rural jobs and that
rudimentary farming and fishing are the majority livelihood of the people in the country.
Second, due to its remote location compared to continental Asia, foreign factories
frequently bypass the Philippines adding the reason of lack in infrastructure that factory
operators need to ship products. Lastly, the 21% poverty rate is still high and according
to Enrico Cau, growth and poverty reduction are hampered by several factors such as
unequal wealth distribution both in terms of social groups and geographic distribution,
corruption, natural disasters and conflicts like the 50year conflict between Muslims and
military.

3. It is evident in the article that significant changes in the economic activities like
the creation of jobs due to government infrastructure programs, multinational investors
who locate their businesses in the country due to cheap labor and tax reforms, have
helped spur economic growth in the Philippines. This growth led to a decline in poverty
rate to 21%, however if compared to Asian standards, it is still considered high.
To support this claim, my first evidence states that high percentage of poverty
rate is because of the lack of rural jobs and the old-fashioned ways of farming and
fishing of the people over the years. Although unemployment have gone down
according to the article, but the figure representing unemployment in rural areas is high.
In addition, fishermen and farmers have low labor productivity due to less development
literature specifically in new farming techniques and farm diversification. In neighboring
countries like Thailand and Vietnam, one of the reason that their poverty rate is lower
than PH is due to implementation of programs that would help rural workers improved
their productivity and making use of the idle lands because it would create more jobs in
rural areas. In my second evidence, manufacturing investors often have low confidence
investing in the country due to less commercial infrastructures that is essential in their
business operations. These potential investors is a missed opportunity that would have
helped create jobs and contribute reduction to poverty rate. Lastly, the third evidence
states that the decline to 21% of the poverty rate is still high and that efforts of reducing
poverty are hampered by several factors like natural disaster, which is very common in
 the Philippines, as we are located in the Pacific Ring of Fire. There are about more than
20 tropical cylcones that hit the country every year which is a big contributor to poverty
as more families will be flooded affecting their livelihood and houses. Unequal wealth
distribution also makes poverty rate still at its high primarily because of corrupt local
officials and government policies relating to tax rates. Lastly, conflicts on Muslims and
military contributes big in the poverty because this create damage to infrastructures,
increase unemployment and evacuation as civilians can be affected whenever war
arises.
Hence, the following evidences supports the claim because these are the factors
that affects poverty rate in the Philippines and the reasons why its percentage is higher
compared to other Asian countries despite an increased in economic growth.

4. It’s a fact that Filipino farmers suffers injustices and unequal rights which is why
despite their hard work, they’re still less appreciated by the Filipinos and the
government. As a college student, the solution I can contribute is to start helping my
community. From what I have observed, many farmers from my place are earning just
an inch above their capital and costs excluding their own labor. This is because the
prices of rice, especially if it’s in season, are very cheap. Some of them would even sell
it below their production cost just to sell their rice. In my own little ways I can organize a
seminar that will talk about modern farming methods and other means of earning in
agriculture. I can attain this through seeking help from the LGU and from other people
who are willing and experts in this field. Through this, I can at least show my support for
the farmers in their fight for a better life.