VOICELESSNESS IN THE PHILIPPINES By Mia Circosta

IMAGINE YOURSELF  Imagine yourself in a position that doesn't allow you to speak out for your needs, let alone the things you want.  The current population in the Philippines is 109,615,912 people and approximately 88 million people live in rural areas, this is where poverty is most widespread.  That is over half of an entire country living in poverty and unable to speak for themselves.

TRASH  In the book we have been studying - trash - Raphael, Jun and Gardo are just three representatives for the far too many people struggling in poverty.  They do not have clean clothes, water and the food they eat and the houses they live in are, as unhygienic as nothing you have ever come across in your life before.  The causes of poverty in rural areas in the Philippines vary widely from island to island.

UNEMPLOYMENT  Rural areas have less economic growth and therefore have higher unemployment rates.  The causes of poverty in rural areas in the Philippines vary widely from island to island.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?  IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development) have has focused exclusively on rural poverty reduction since 1977 and given a voice to the voiceless.  IFAD are working towards a goal, they are eliminating poverty, hunger and malnutrition.  IFAD has recognized something extremely important if humanity wishes to grow together and that is that vulnerable groups of people can and do contribute to economic growth.