As of 2020, data from the Philippine Statistics Office shows that 43.

5% of [2]

the total population belongs to the middle class, 38.4% to the low-income
class, and 16.7% to the poorest of the poor. Only the remaining 1.4% falls
under the high-income class.
Social stratification is categorizes people into groups of people into hierarchy

Strata = layer

Stratification = layering

It is on the basis of wealth, power and prestige

Wealth= Manny Villa refers to income, properties or stocks of their families

Power = Rodrigo Duterte executes good decision in our country

Prestige= Manny Pacquaio something that you’ve done commendable or recognition to our country

Theoretical Perspective in Social Stratification:

1. Functionalist Theory - Emile Durkheim

a. stratification exists because it serves important purpose or function in the society.

b. It is emphasized that all members of the society perform different roles based on their ability or skill

c. Some does in societies are more valuable than others and qualified people who fill those positions

must be rewarded more than others.

Example: Human Body / Family… Doctors and lawyers through higher level of skills and knowledge or
qualifications while street sweeper does not require high amount of qualifications.

Nurse or front liners support to health care system and mass media entertainment and communication
to the people.

2. Conflict theory – Karl Marx contributor Max weber

a. Stratification exists because it benefits certain groups of people who dominate and exploit others

b. It highlights on the interest that divide the people.

c. Advocate by Karl Marx 1818 to 1883 who saw the injustices in an equal treatment of the bourgeoisie
or the upper class to the proletariat or the working class during the industrial revolution.

Ex. Tag of war / rich and the poor and the employer and the employee, who will get the SAP, manyanita

3. Symbolic Interactionism – George Herbert Mead and Charles Horton Cooley

a. Understand stratification by looking at people's interaction and understanding in the daily life

b. It examines how people's social standing affects their everyday interactions.

Example: Status symbol like iphone or drinking Starbucks it serves a visible markers of a person stature
and economic position

Social inequality is the condition of unequal access to the benefits and rights of society.

Social inequality refers to the unequal access to social political and symbolic capital of individuals in
society.

a. Social Capital - so refers to the characteristics of a social organization which includes networks norms
and trust that enable coordination and cooperation for the common benefit.

Example; Manila Yacht Club and Golf club / Upper class

b. Symbolic Capital - resources available on individual on the basis of honor prestige or merit

example: UP graduates easy for them to take a job from a prestigious university

it may come also from possession of objects with a perceivedpr concrete sense of

value like acquiring iphone or mac books.

c. Political Capital - refers to the benevolence or goodwill of a politician or political policy which can
build up with the public through the implementation of popular policies.

This goodwill can then mobilize to achieve other objectives such as passing of unpopular policies.

This means that politicians may use their power to help their constituents through favorable policies and
at the same time implement policies that will protect their self-interest.

Example: LGU approves mining project to provides job from their people but risk for their environment.

Social inequality can be related to:

a. differences in incomes, ie rich and poor

b. gender - gender discrimination, and social norms and practices, girls become exposed to the
possibility of child marriage, teenage pregnancy, child domestic work, poor education and health, sexual
abuse, exploitation and violence.

c. ethnicity - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Bicolano, Kapampangan, Maranao, Maguindanao, and Tausug.

d. disabilities and health issues - access to health care, employment, education or political participation
because of their disability.”

e. age, ie children, young people, middle aged, pensioners - Learning opportunities and training courses
are offered only to younger employees. Older workers are often preferred over younger workers for
challenging tasks or projects. Older workers are left out of social events.