Slums in the Philippines

Poverty rates in the Philippines have been rising which cause slums to get more populated.

Poverty in the Philippines, the lines shows where people from the Philippines originated from

Geographical Analysis

The slums in the Philippines are areas where there is overcrowding as well as really high poverty rates. Slums began to form in the mid-1900s when people would reside in informal settlements. Slums are now scattered over 526 communities in all cities and municipalities of Metro ManilaSlums have scoured over 562 communities in all cities. Manila houses approximately 631,000 inhabitants and many slums. Tornado is the largest slum in Manila also known as “Happyland”. This area is portrayed as a dumpsite full of garbage. Manila has the highest homeless population in the world and about 35% of Manila’s population lives in a slum. This slum is called Happyland because even though everyone is living in poverty people keep their spirits up. A reason why slums exist in the Philippines is because of migration which is the movement of people from one place to another. People migrate to rural areas to work in unskilled and low-level jobs. The government is also not doing much to get these people into more urban areas (populated areas and infrastructure-built environments and help fight the crime rates that come with these slums. Slums are more vulnerable to violent crimes, in an article mentions that “UNICEF declared the Philippines the global epicenter for online child sex abuse” (Lena). Due to poverty in these slums parents are in sex trafficking to able to have some sort of livable income. Education is also not important for people just trying to survive, families lack money to put food on the table meaning that children have to go out and work for themselves. This doesn’t allow for these children to receive proper education which leads to children being stuck in the slums. A study released showed that over 12.2 million Filipino families consider themselves poor. 

Child in Happy Land

What is being done

There are two organizations that I found that are trying to help the people living in slums. Project pearls is a Californian non-profit organization that is trying to reduce poverty in the country. A major focus is providing nutritious food in the slums. Oikos Helping Hand is a Christian non-profit organization that helps provide food and education. I also found the city’s alliance is supporting the National Slum Upgrading Strategy to alleviate the people by trying to deliver improving social services. There is also an organization called humanity that focuses on providing nutritious meals, homes, clothing, and education and helping victims of natural disasters and human trafficking.

Living conditions in the slums

My Thoughts

I believe there needs to be more done not only by an organization but by the Philippines government. There needs to be more of an initiative of providing more jobs so that migrants can work in more urban areas to allow them to be financially stable. I also find it hard to believe that a lot of organizations do not mainly focus on cleanup. The environment that you grow up in is very important to living a nice and healthy life, for the slums don’t have this privilege. Unfortunately, slums are not livable places, they are filled with diseases and illnesses. I believe there needs to be some sort of group that goes into these slums to pick up the garbage and also clean up the rivers that run through the slums

Children play in BASECO a slum in Manila

Child in Happy Land

Living conditions in the slums

Children play in BASECO a slum in Manila