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Poverty is in Red Alert, said Anti-Poverty Coalition

Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP)- Philippines , a local anti-poverty coalition, declared that poverty in the country is in Red Alert status given that one out of two Filipinos sees themselves as poor.

Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP)- Philippines , a local anti-poverty coalition, declared that poverty in the country is in Red Alert status given that one out of two Filipinos sees themselves as poor.

This is based on the recent Social Weather Station Survey results, fifty-two percent, or about 9 million Filipino families who saw themselves as "mahirap" or poor. 

“Despite the government’s continuous rhetoric that eradicating poverty is it’s overarching goal; poverty continues to grow amidst the trumpeted economic growth,” said GCAP-Philippines, “growth does not trickle down, rather it stays put with those who already have a lot.”

The results of the 2003 Family income and Expenditure Survey shows that the income of the richest 10 percent is still 20 times the income of the poorest 10 percent. The net worth of the country’s 10 richest individuals and families in 2006 was equivalent to the combined income of the country’s poorest 9.8 million households composed of 49 million Filipinos.

“The government’s response to the calamity of poverty and hunger in the country are mere palliatives to the root causes of the problem,” said Erning Ofracio, an urban poor leader from Kilusan para sa Makatarungang Lipunan at Gobyerno (KMLG), a member of GCAP-Philippines. “Billions of pesos are put into these poverty and hunger mitigation programs that have been proven to be ineffective and a waste of resources as evident in the government’s recently concluded 6-month war on hunger, which by the end of it’s duration witnessed the record high rise in hunger incidence, with 1 out of 4 Filipinos experiencing hunger, and now 1 out of 2 Filipinos who see themselves as poor.”

GCAP-Philippines added that the disastrous situation is not shown in official data with only one out of four Filipinos are said to be poor, hiding worsening poverty through statistics is the best way to create a rosy picture of an improving economy. Excluding various sectors of society such as the indigenous people, and ambulant poor in official statistics is the most effective way to hide poverty.

Ofracio continued, “But 45 million poor Filipinos have spoken; the admission of poverty in the recent surveys has unveiled the truth.” "We are facing a war on poverty and hunger but this war begins with the government facing up to the true state of poverty and hunger in the Philippines . If the government is really doing their job in poverty reduction, then why do they need external surveys to tell them that hunger and poverty is rising? In fact, if they were really doing their job, our people would not be facing worsening poverty and hunger," said GCAP-Philippines.

GCAP-Philippines is a citizens movement that utilizes various strategies such as media and mobilization to demanding and challenging the Philippine government to live up to it’s promise to the Millennium Development Goals and to protect and promote the rights of Filipinos to have a decent and dignified life.

Contact Persons:

Erning Ofracio, Urban Poor Leader from KMLG, 920-8949
May-i Fabros, GCAP-Philippines Media Campaigner
+63917-2069803 or 920-8949, mayi_fabros@yahoo.com.ph
www.endpovertynow.org.ph, www.whiteband.org, www.standagainstpoverty.org

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