MALLARI, ALTHEA R.

STEM12- ST. Philomena

Reading the Signs of the Times
Poverty
The Philippines has a relatively high poverty rate, with more than 16% of the population living in
poverty. Because of the large number of individuals who rely on agriculture for a living and the
imbalance in wealth distribution, about 17.6 million Filipinos cannot purchase bare essentials. Poverty
fell from 21.6 percent to 16.6 percent between 2015 and 2020. President Rodrigo Duterte of the
Philippines wants to decrease poverty to 14 percent by 2022.
Poverty is one of the issues that our country is dealing with. It is the condition of not having
adequate resources to meet fundamental necessities. Each family's income affects whether they are poor,
and it differs depending on where they live. It is best defined by societal circumstances such as a lack of
access to food, clothes, and shelter (Vale, 2017). Poverty is one of the most significant issues that the
government must address in the Philippines. Poverty in the Philippines originated as a result of the
country's fast population expansion. Poverty is a state in which a family's fundamental necessities, such as
food, housing, clothes, and education, are not met. Poverty in the Philippines has resulted in a deplorable
healthcare and education system.
The Philippines is an overcrowded country. Governments are struggling to provide food, housing, and
work to an ever-increasing population. Parents cannot afford to send their children to a good school;
therefore, they must work to fill their hungry stomachs. 
I would want to utilize a case study from Cavite's urban impoverished neighborhoods as an
example. According to my family, life is difficult there, exacerbated by the community's and its people's
lack of access to safe and drinking water. This issue has caused several additional significant issues in
people's cleanliness, general health safety, firefighting skills, and small-scale company requirements.
Amid this pandemic, handwashing facilities and water, in general, are regarded critical. However,
because water is scarce and appears to be a "luxury" for some, water-related hygiene concerns jeopardize
the community's ability to combat the virus's spread.
https://borgenproject.org/tag/poverty-in-the-philippines/
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/expect-increase-poverty-covid-19-ushers-duterte-4th-year
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/09/10/17-million-pinoys-likely-to-remain-poor-as-
government-misses-2022-poverty-goal/

Corruption

Graft and corruption are among the most significant worldwide issues ahead of outrageous
poverty, unemployment, the increasing expense of food and energy, environmental change, and
psychological warfare. It is believed to be one of the main reasons for neediness throughout the world. It
hinders economic advancement/development partially because it forestalls unfamiliar and homegrown
ventures.

Corruption is one of the issues that the Philippines should address. A never-ending problem that
folks overlook till it worsens. It is not only harmful to the soul, but it also harms the economy and is
where corruption occurs. There is no question that corruption in the Philippines is a massive problem that
must be addressed. In 2006, it was verified that the Philippines has the highest rate of corruption in East
Asia. It has not gotten any better since that year. It is a social hazard and a massive impediment to
effective governance that had infiltrated the government and the business and non-government sectors
and Philippine society long before the COVID-19 crisis erupted in the nation. The Philippines has always
been at odds with corruption, and over the years, there have been a lot of political scandals or occurrences
that the government has never been able to resolve. Corruption affects everyone. It jeopardizes long-term
economic progress, ethical values, and justice; it destabilizes our society and jeopardizes the rule of law.
It weakens our democracy's institutions and principles. However, because public policies and resources
are overwhelmingly advantageous to the poor, they bear the brunt of the negative consequences of
corruption.

Being reliant on the government for housing, healthcare, education, security, and welfare puts the
poor at risk of corruption since it stifles service delivery. Corruption results in infrastructure development
delays, poor building quality, and layers of extra expenditures. Many corrupt activities rob our citizens of
their constitutional and human rights.

https://www.rappler.com/corruption-in-the-philippines

https://thediplomat.com/2021/08/will-corruption-bring-down-the-philippines-duterte-government/

https://www.bworldonline.com/corruption-still-a-big-problem-survey/

Political Killings, Threat and Harassment

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued a report on June 4 that
identified "many systemic human rights cases of abuse" in the Philippines, including the death of 208
human rights defenders and activists since 2015. Physical and online attacks mainly targeted leftist
activists and human rights campaigners. Zara Alvarez, a legal worker with the human rights organization
Karapatan, was killed by unidentified gunmen in Bacolod City, central Philippines, on August 17.
Alvarez's assassination happened just a week after peasant leader Randall Echanis was discovered dead,
presumably tortured, in his Quezon City home. Alvarez was the 13th Karapatan member to be
assassinated by the Duterte regime. (World Report 2021)

In recent years, allegations of an upsurge in the number of deaths of political activists, mainly those
connected with communist or left-wing organizations, have sparked widespread alarm in the Philippines
and throughout the world. The assaults, generally carried out by anonymous individuals who shoot the
victims before fleeing on motorbikes, have rarely resulted in the arrest, conviction, and punishment of
those guilty. Amnesty International believes that the killings are part of a pattern and that the
government's continued failure to provide justice to the victims represents a failure on the part of the
Philippine government to fulfill its obligation to protect the right to life of all individuals under its
jurisdiction. Government and military authorities say that no state policy calls for or permits extrajudicial
murders, that there are no secret "death squads," and that members of the armed services do not utilize
hired murderers. They say that members of the armed groups themselves carried out most of the killings
during factional conflicts or internal "purges." The Government of the Philippines cites a wide range of
international human rights treaties that the Philippines has ratified and claims that provisions protecting
human rights are enshrined in the Constitution and enforced through national laws and institutions,
including an independent judiciary and a Commission on Human Rights.

The government must send an unequivocal message to all members of the police, military, and other
security forces that participation in, or complicity in, such criminal executions will not be allowed. All
such incidents must be thoroughly and expeditiously investigated, and all individuals involved, whether
or not connected to the military services, must be brought to justice. Only in this way can the public trust
in the fair and effective administration of justice be restored, and a peace process based on respect for
human rights by all parties be revitalized.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2007/06/28/philippines-prosecute-political-killings

https://www.civicus.org/index.php/media-resources/media-releases/open-letters/5027-philippines-halt-
judicial-harassment-and-investigate-killing-of-activists

https://twitter.com/CIVICUSalliance/status/1296018514982195201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp
%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1296018514982195201%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon
%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsummer-heart-0930.chufeiyun1688.workers.dev%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fwww.civicus.org%2Findex.php%2Fmedia-resources%2Fmedia-
releases%2F4570-killing-of-another-human-rights-activist-highlights-climate-of-impunity-in-the-
philippines

Crisis in Philippine Education

Filipinos from wealthy families or those residing in cities and developed communities have more access
to private schools. On the other hand, less advantaged groups are more likely to face a shortage of
classrooms, instructors, and resources to sustain high-quality learning.

Education difficulties in the Philippines have intensified due to COVID-19, as have new challenges that
have exacerbated the country's current situation. With the unexpected circumstances caused by the health
crisis, remote learning options such as the internet or TV broadcasts were mandated. In addition, in
October 2020, a blended learning program was introduced, which includes online classes, printouts, and
lessons aired on TV and social media channels. As a result, the new learning paths rely on students and
teachers having internet connectivity. This adds to the present system's problems. Millions of Filipinos
lack access to computers and other digital tools at home, making blended learning ineffective. As a result,
the importance of technology in education impacts a large number of students. It is critical to mention that
equipped schools have more opportunities to employ diverse methods to address the emerging issues for
remote learning. This highlights the disparities in funding and training for K-12 and postsecondary
education for private and public schools. Another possibility is that schools will be unable to teach the
most fundamental abilities.

Furthermore, the current state of affairs can impact how tertiary education attempts to instill respect for
and responsibility to knowledge, as well as a critical viewpoint. Previously, instructors were responsible
for 40 to 60 students. If a class has 70 to 80 people, the quality of learning may suffer due to the existing
online structure. In fact, Due to COVID-19 shutdown, 89 percent of the world's student population, or
1.52 billion children and youth, are absent from school. According to the DepEd, over 4 million pupils in
the Philippines were unable to enroll for the current school year. As a result, the number of out-of-school
youth (OSY) continues to rise, posing a major concern that must be addressed to avoid worse issues in the
long term. (Childhope PH)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/13/world/asia/philippines-students-remote-covid.html

https://www.bworldonline.com/addressing-the-philippine-education-crisis-3/

Pandemic

The Philippine response to COVID-19 has been regarded as one of the world's longest and most stringent
lockdowns. Entire regions and cities were placed under lockdown, transportation was limited, and masks
and social distance were severely enforced. Violations were addressed with repercussions. The
government relied mainly on the police and military to maintain order and guarantee that all health
standards were followed. As a result, some observers and scholars have labeled the government's
response as "draconian," "militarized," or "police-centric" (Maru, 2020).

Amnesty International today stated that the Philippine government must solve the country's COVID-19
problem as soon as possible, citing reports of thousands of people unable to get appropriate healthcare.
Following a high increase in hospitalizations and new cases since March, hospitals are still at risk of
being overburdened. "A year into the epidemic, the Philippine government's ongoing inability to provide
an appropriate response is a major human rights concern," said Emerlynne Gil, Deputy Regional Director
of Amnesty International. "The authorities must offer equal access to healthcare using all available
resources." Amid a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, the pandemic's mismanagement has resulted in a
severe shortage of access to healthcare, which has been increasingly acute in recent weeks. Health
workers have warned that hospitals are becoming overcrowded due to a lack of beds and health personnel.
Workers are also dealing with underpaid benefits and a scarcity of medical-grade personal protective
equipment (PPE). Marginalized populations continue to suffer at the hands of police and face additional
problems due to COVID-19, such as increased barriers to healthcare and a loss of income due to being
unable to work during pandemic restrictions. Low-income families are exposed to greater health risks and
face significant obstacles in accessing quality and affordable healthcare during the pandemic.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-29/why-the-philippines-just-became-the-worst-place-
to-be-in-covid

https://www.rappler.com/nation/covid-19-pandemic-latest-situation-in-the-philippines-september-2021

Issues How do other people react How will you react/respond What does the Kingdom of
to the issue-at-hand? the issue-at-hand? God teach us about social
issues-at-hand?
Poverty Poverty has been a First, I believe that The Bible is full with insight
persistent issue for many eliminating poverty about God's love for poor
years. It affects a necessitates a focus on both people - and our obligation to
considerable proportion of what the government must do aid them. We admire Jesus'
the world's population and what people must do. example of caring for the
today. Many organizations They must require a mix of poor and disadvantaged.
have been created to find responsible policy and
solutions for this matter, the responsible behavior. Psalm 72:12-14
Philippine government is Second, I will create
actively attempting to awareness and take action on For he delivers the needy
accelerate its poverty- my own, using social media when they call, the poor and
reduction agenda. Their platform such as Sharing those who have no helper. He
long-term objective is to links on Facebook, Twitter has pity on the weak and the
offer more excellent and other platforms that will needy and saves the lives of
economic opportunities, allow people to learn more the needy. From oppression
allowing many residents to about global poverty and will and violence, he redeems
earn a higher and more increase the general their life; precious is their
consistent income. Some of consciousness of the issue. blood in his sight.
the reasons that contributed Also, I will take action by
to the reduction in poverty simple ways like donation, There is so much poverty in
were the expansion of jobs donations can assist in a the world, but the greatest
outside the agriculture variety of ways. They do not need is for Christ since He
sector, government necessarily have to be alone feeds the soul and leads
 transfers, and the monetary. This might involve
recruitment of competent giving books to children who us never to thirst or hunger
Filipinos under the needs it or purchasing again because He is the
‘Pantawid Pamilyang’ groceries for a poor Bread of Eternal Life (John
Pilipino Program. This household for a week to help 6:27, 35). We need to repent
particular initiative, a battle hunger. Donating old of our sins, turn away from
government cash-handout clothing, furniture, and them, and turn to Christ,
operation, has contributed to toiletries may also assist the putting our confidence in
a 25% reduction in poverty. poor's well-being. Him.
Corruption Corruption has been one of By its very nature, corruption Genesis 6:11–12
the biggest problems in the is hard to battle. This is
Philippines. Some civil because individuals who can By the time of Noah, the
society groups are using end it can be the ones corruption of mankind had
digital media to protest profiting from the corrupt been amplified: “Now the
against corruption. Also, the system. But I can still react earth was corrupt in God’s
government has taken an to this issue by raising sight and was full of
action by making laws that awareness trough social violence. God saw how
penalize corrupt media and encouraging or corrupt the earth had become,
acts/practices like the reinforcing citizens' interest for all the people on earth
Republic Act No. 3019 (The against corruption. had corrupted their ways”
Anti-Graft and Corrupt
Practices Act).
Political Killings, People react to this issue by As a student, I can prevent Matthew 5:21-22
Threats, Harassment posting on social media crimes by sharing knowledge
platforms and calls for about how crimes harm our You have heard that it was
justice among the victims. In society or what the said to those of old, ‘You
solidarity with the human punishment is if the crimes shall not murder; and
rights community in the are committed. Spreading whoever murders will be
Philippines, they call on all awareness is highly liable to judgment.’ 22 But I
governments to condemn the beneficial and necessary, say to you that everyone who
killings of human rights especially for the uninformed is angry with his brother will
defenders in the country and and unaware of the potential be liable to judgment;
to send a message to the consequences of crime. Also, whoever insults his brother
Duterte administration similar to what other people will be liable to the council;
demanding thorough, do, I would voice concerns and whoever says, ‘You
impartial, and independent about crime and disorder fool!’ will be liable to the
investigations into all 40 problems. hell of fire.
killings that have occurred
in the last 18 months, as God rejects the wicked
well as a commitment from because they only do terrible
the administration to bring things. When one says such
the perpetrators to justice. things about another brother,
Furthermore, they urge he is effectively passing
nations to take long-overdue judgment. He has seized a
action at the United Nations seat and a position of
Human Rights Council and decision that only God has.
support an international In doing so, he puts himself
inquiry into illegal in peril of everlasting
executions and other severe damnation. Perhaps the
breaches in the Philippines. conclusion here is that only
 God knows a man's true heart
and intent, and it is unwise
for us to pass judgment on
one another.
Crisis in Philippine Like the United States, the As a student, my 2 Corinthians 4:16-17
Education Philippine nation has an responsibility is to study.
extensive and highly Even in the midst of this Therefore, we do not lose
inclusive system of pandemic, I will value the heart. Though outwardly we
education, including higher chance to learn from my are wasting away, yet
education, although because teachers and from the class, inwardly we are being
of this pandemic, a lot of as well as to help my renewed day by day. For our
students are having a hard colleagues have the greatest light and momentary troubles
time coping up with their learning environment are achieving for us an
studies, other students possible in order for them to eternal glory that far
cannot afford online classes develop their learning outweighs them all.
due to a lack of devices and abilities and benefit from the
internet connections, but in teachings I will learn.
modular learning, other
students struggle to grasp
some of the tasks due to a
lack of instructor assistance.
Overall education on this
epidemic is challenging for
both pupils and instructors.
Pandemic This pandemic has been First, I’ll start by applying Romans 8:35, 37
affected a lot of people, the practicality and common-
consequences of the sense and follow the simple “Who shall separate us from
coronavirus epidemic will pointers to manage the the love of Christ? Shall
be etched on our nation's COVID19. I’ll educate my trouble or hardship or
psyche for a long time. Due family, friends, and persecution or famine or
to the COVID-19 epidemic, community: Raise nakedness or danger or
the globe is experiencing community awareness both sword?…No, in all these
many problems, including online and in person. Also, things we are more than
lockdowns, travel I’ll follow simple and routine conquerors through him who
restrictions, and the World Health Organization loved us.”
shutdown of schools and WHO guidelines: Properly
companies. The sudden wash my hands more often, Hardship, persecution,
surge of this virus made avoid crowded spaces, avoid hunger, nakedness, danger,
everyone overwhelmed. handshaking, and wear a sword, and COVID-19—
Although some might not mask wherever I go. things over which we have
take this seriously, the little or no control—are no
government has been impediment to receiving and
making an effort to prevent embracing Christ's
and stop this pandemic. tremendous love for us.
We're at a loss on what to do.
Even in the midst of chaos,
we keep our gaze fixed on
God, who is trustworthy.