SOLUTIONS:

1. GREATER ACCESS TO EDUCATION

* A factor of systemic poverty is a lack of access to education in impoverished areas. People gain
basic skills and increased job opportunities through education, which can help to combat poverty in
the Philippines. Therefore, the Philippines signed the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education
Act in 2017 to encourage more people to enroll in higher education and to address the issue of
education inequality. The government subsidizes the cost of tuition for State Universities and
Colleges (SUCs) students as well as other expenses such as school supplies. Private institutions also
have access to a tuition subsidy. The Act aims to decrease the number of dropouts in higher
education and promote the idea that higher education is available to all.
2. GREATER ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE
*A factor of systemic poverty is a lack of access to education in impoverished areas. People gain
basic skills and increased job opportunities through education, which can help to combat poverty in
the Philippines. Therefore, the Philippines signed the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education
Act in 2017 to encourage more people to enroll in higher education and to address the issue of
education inequality. The government subsidizes the cost of tuition for State Universities and
Colleges (SUCs) students as well as other expenses such as school supplies. Private institutions also
have access to a tuition subsidy. The Act aims to decrease the number of dropouts in higher
education and promote the idea that higher education is available to all.
3. FAMILY AID
* To further efforts to support citizens, the government implemented the Pantawid Pamilyang
Pilipino Program (4Ps) in 2007. The 4Ps is is a conditional cash transfer program for impoverished
households. The program gives households grants so long as they meet certain requirements,
including keeping the children in school, having regular health check-ups and having parents or
guardians attend Family Development Sessions. The 4Ps program benefits about 20 million Filipinos,
9 million of whom are children. Therefore, the program reaches about 20% of the population with
the goal of greater poverty reduction.
4. ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT
*With the goal of reducing poverty by strengthening economics, President Duterte signed the Rice
Tariffication Law in February 2019, amending the Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996. The Law
places a 35% tariff on imported rice with the goal of prioritizing local rice production for the
population by stabilizing the supply. The tariff also aims to benefit local farmers by creating a more
efficient and competitive agricultural system.
5. BUILD,BUILD,BUILD
*Additionally, the Duterte administration created the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure plan in
2017. The initial goal of the program was to complete 75 projects, but Duterte revised the plan to
instead target finishing 100 projects. Some projects include new public transportation and airport
renovations. The government has put about 34% of the projects into action and is expecting to
complete 56% by 2022. By 2019, the government had completed two of the initial 75 projects. With
support from loans, the Philippines will rely on Build, Build, Build as a strategy to aid the country in
recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The government’s hope is that combatting the effects of
the pandemic by improving the country’s infrastructure will stimulate the economy and create more
jobs. However, the program has received criticism due to its slow execution as a result of
underspending.
RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. PROVIDING BIRTH CONTROL

*Providing birth control is a powerful tool for families who now have full control over family
planning. The hope is that by giving the women and family units more control, they will have fewer
children. This, in turn, will mean that families can provide more responsibly. This new policy will help
the government reach its goal of reducing poverty by 13% by 2022.

2. CREATING MORE JOBS AND INCREASING WAGES TO WORKERS

*

3. IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY
4. INVEST IN HEALTH AND NUTRITION