Father Shay Cullen
The Philippines is blessed with great mineral wealth. It has an abundance of nickel, copper, gold, cobalt, chromite, iron ore, manganese, zinc, lead, mercury, and even rare earth elements. It also has vast resources of renewable energy—wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and biomass—yet it depends on burning coal, the most hazardous fuel in the world. It has a highly educated, culturally diverse, talented, and intelligent population, and yet there is wealth disparity.
Out of the country’s population of 117 million gifted, kind, and generous Filipinos, approximately 14 million families [51 per cent] considered themselves poor in 2025. Of this figure, approximately 5.5 to 6 million families said they experienced involuntary hunger—that is, near starvation—at least once in the previous three months. Within that group, 1.2 million families [about 4.5 per cent] said they experienced severe hunger, which means they go hungry often or always.
This great nation has one of the highest levels of wealth inequality because out of 117 million Filipinos, there are 12 to 15 US dollar billionaires and over 12,000 US dollar millionaires, according to 2025–2026 reports. Less than one percent of the population owns and controls roughly 45 to 50 per cent of the nation’s wealth.
There are historical, political, and educational reasons for this. For one, families control the political system. Transparency International’s recently released Corruption Perceptions Index [CPI], which measures the level of corruption, sadly shows that the Philippines dropped to 120th place out of 182 countries.
Rich families perpetuate their dynastic rule through patronage, promoting a false perception of providing security, vote buying, media manipulation, false narratives of their generosity, populism, and blatant propaganda. By monopolising power at all levels, they can manipulate the electoral system in their favour, since accountability is weak.
Most investigations of corruption end without anyone being punished. These dynastic politicians make laws to protect themselves, increase their wealth, and negate opposition.
Poverty and corruption spread downward to all sectors of society. Poverty grows due to the serious lack of industrialisation and dependence on remittances from 2.7 million overseas Filipino workers [OFWs], mostly in Asia, including the Middle East.
In 2024, OFWs sent home 262.20 billion pesos in remittances. But the economy still struggles with rising oil prices—among the highest in Asia—driven by oil companies and enabled by compliant officials. Poverty persists because of low-paying jobs and a weak manufacturing sector.
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
https://www.Facebook.com/CFM-Gifted-to-give-101039001847033
This is the heart of the problem: a lack of well-paid jobs creates poverty and hunger, and many in the middle class are living in debt. The ruling elite justify poverty, claiming “life is as good as it’s going to get,” leading to low expectations, weak political awareness, and little or no activism to change the situation. This fosters low self-esteem and a “bahala na” [whatever happens, happens] attitude, allowing corruption to persist and poverty to endure.
Underperforming in education
This is also reflected in the Philippines’ educational standards. In the latest Programme for International Student Assessment [PISA], Filipino students ranked near the bottom globally and behind their Southeast Asian counterparts in student proficiency.
In reading, the Philippines ranked seventh out of eight participating Southeast Asian countries, outperforming only Cambodia. While Filipinos perform relatively well in English, they rank lowest in core subjects such as maths, science, and reading compared to neighbouring countries.
There is what experts call a “proficiency collapse.” There is a sharp decline in proficiency as students move from primary school to high school. Approximately 30.5 per cent of learners in the third grade are considered proficient. By 10th grade, proficiency drops drastically to just 1.36 per cent. By the end of senior high school, proficiency rates fall to near zero [0.4 per cent].
Some attribute this to poor teacher training and a lack of encouragement for students to meet high standards. This has had a damaging effect on the quality of education, resulting in fewer quality jobs and a lower standard of living. The apparent tolerance of the government and society for the spread of images of violence and child sexual abuse on social media is also affecting students.
These materials contribute to a culture of tolerated immorality, emotional distress, and rising teenage pregnancies, all of which distract from education. The United Nations Children’s Fund reported that 3,343 girls aged 10 to 14 gave birth in 2023. It is estimated that over 500 Filipino girls aged 15 to 19 become mothers every day. Many are likely to remain in poverty, along with their children.
The export of semiconductors accounts for 50 per cent of the Philippines’ total export revenue. However, mining industries exporting unprocessed minerals to China contribute less than a per cent to the economy. In 2024, such exports were worth roughly US$7.37 billion.
Little or none of this revenue benefits the Filipinos from whose ancestral lands the minerals were extracted. This is an injustice that remains largely unaddressed. Serious conflicts have broken out among Lumad communities, the Indigenous peoples of Mindanao, including the B’laan, Subanen, and Manobo, over the Tampakan Project operated by Sagittarius Mines in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Davao del Sur.
These conflicts have lasted for decades, displacing as many as 5,000 people, with anti-mining advocates reportedly killed.
In the Caraga region, particularly in Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Norte, mining companies such as Marcventures Mining and Development Corp., Taganito Mining Corp., and Platinum Group Metals Corp. reportedly operate with impunity. These firms have allegedly encroached on ancestral lands and damaged the environment, with nearly 84 per cent of nickel tenements overlapping with ancestral domains and biodiversity hotspots.
These issues have contributed to violence and the country’s highest recorded number of killings of Indigenous and anti-mining activists. As many as 298 land defenders have been killed, a third of them Indigenous. Indigenous peoples make up about 15 per cent [17 million] of the population and live closely with nature.
Philippine mining corporations present themselves in the media as responsible and environmentally conscious while allegedly concealing their environmental impact. There are also reports that security forces have been used to pressure Indigenous peoples to sign consent agreements for mining operations and to leave their ancestral lands.
