It is very alarming to see here in the Philippines how poverty strikes. Everyday, as I take a ride on a jeepney on my way to school I've always notice that there are always bunch of kids with their mother or father walking around the street asking for money and food, families who sleeps on the sidewalks, young children aged 5 and below looking for scraps or food to eat on the pile of garbages, Old people begging for alms on the entrance of Grand Central or LRT Monumento. I coudn't help to feel sad about them because I know that they themselves doesn't also want to be in that situation, of course nobody would really like to be in those situations given a chance, right?
So now I would like to share to all of you the main effects of poverty and how it can affect the lives of everyone.
First, Poverty results to malnutrition or hunger.
Malnutrition or hunger is one of the major effects of poverty here in the Philippines, Many Filipinos can't afford to have a decent meal at least 3x a day. Nowadays, families who are in poverty lacks the funds to buy nutritious foods and some are lucky enough if they could have a decent meal at least once a day. So what composes the decent meal for them that I am talking about? Well as I've seen in the streets, it composes of an instant noodles with rice, or rice with soysauce and oil, or simply porridge. Base from those components we can easily conclude that they really lacks the right nutrition.
Second, Poverty results to lack of Education
A family who has five children and is living in the poverty line, couldn't afford to send their children to school even if their is no fees to pay for the basic education, they also couldn't keep up with all the costs of projects, assignments, and even the transportation fee of their children so most of them simply doesn't wan't to go to school because they had the thinking that as long as you've already learn to read and write, it is enough already and you must now help your family to make ends meet which i really find wrong because education is not just about learning how to read or write,it is more than that. It can bring you a good future if you really strive hard and do your best.
Third, Poverty results to Unemployment.
Poverty results to Unemployment, A person who is unemployed couldn't afford to acquire all the basic neccessities like food, shelter,and clothing. Here in thePhilippines, once you are not a diploma holder,it would be very difficult for you to find a job, especially nowadays when even graduates of bachelor degrees couldn't even find a job that can match with their courses. Thus, unemployement really affects the way ofliving of each person, a family man who is unemployed couldn't afford to meet all the basic needs of his family like nutritious foods, decent clothes, proper education for his children etc.
Fourth, Poverty results to Crimes
Poverty results to Crime incident especially when people are desperate to get out from their suffering and be free from poverty, have you heard fromthe news about a boy who snatches a wallet from a woman just to send her mother to hospital? or have you heard about a man who declares a hold-up on a pawnshop just for him to have a money to buy food for his family? These are some scenarios that is happening here in the Philippines and the government is doing their best to solve this problem.
Fifth, Poverty results to Inequality
In the Philippines, If you are poor, you will always be the wrongly accused and you cannot do anything about it because the rich and mighty people will always put you down and blame you for the sins you haven't committed. The reason behind this is that money always works for greedy people, and that's the truth about it, because if you are poor,you don't have the right connections that only the rich and famous have and that is really unfair.
To sum it all up, Poverty really affects the lives of everyone,it is a problem that every nation have. I believe that there is no chance to eradicate it all but there are lots of ways in which one can alleviate or rise from poverty with the help from the government and proper NGO's and also they themselves should help improve their skills and potentials for the sake of their own welfare.
