HOMELESSNESS IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Philippines is one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia, yet it is facing a
homeless crisis. There are approximately 4.5 million homeless people, including children, in the
Philippines, which has a population of almost 106 million people (This was surveyed last year,
2020, before thousands of people died due of COVID-19). In each country not only Philippines,
why is there homelessness? What could be the possible solution to it? And what could be its effect
in a country?
In structural functionalism theory, it states that homelessness doesn’t only affect the
individual, but everyone. We have limited resources for homeless people, the bare minimum.
Shelters provide you with services people need, however, not every homeless person will go and
seek help.
There are 4 causes of homelessness. Poverty, low income can make it difficult for many
families in the Philippines, especially those who live in Manila, to pay rent. Domestic Violence,
women who escape their abusive partners could lose their source of income and have difficulty
finding a place to stay. Shelters for women tend to have long waiting list. Human Trafficking, many
trafficked victims are promised jobs in the cities. However, after moving to a city, they are
exploited and forced into prostitution. And lastly, Natural Disaster, some families have lost their
homes due to natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In 2019, more
than 20 typhoons battered the Philippines. One of the typhoons that hit the country damaged over
500,000 houses. A volcanic eruption that happened last January 2020 impacted half a million
people and forced the relocation of 6,000 families.
According to the Modified Condition Cash Transfer for Homeless Street Families (MCCT-
HSF) program, homeless families fit into four different categories:

 Families on the street: They are the families who earn their livelihood on the street,
but eventually return to their original communities. This category includes both
“displaced homeless families” and “community-based street families”.
  Families of the street: Families who live on the street for a long time and have
created communities among themselves. They perform daily activities, like cooking,
bathing or playing in the public spaces they live in. They are visible by their use of a
“kariton,” also known as a pushcart that contains their family’s belongings, which
they move around within Manila.
 Displaced homeless families: They are families who have lost their homes due to
natural disasters or live in their communities. They are families who leave their rural
communities of the Philippines to find a job in the cities. This category also may
include families and children who may be escaping abuses at home. Displaced
homeless families may also push around a kariton that contains their personal
belongings.
 Community-based street families: They are families who are from rural communities
but move to urban areas for a better way of life; however they often end up returning
to the rural area they are from.

The government, NGO’s and religious institutions are working to help the homeless.
Government programs including the Modified Condition Cash Transfer for Homeless Street
Families (MCCT-HSF). This program provides financial support, such as housing grants and
funding for health and education, to homeless families in Metro Manila.
To help street children, ASMAE-Philippines travels the streets of Manila to teach kids on
the basics of hygiene. The organization also provides children with school support, as well as
supporting other NGO’s in the area. Kanlungan sa ER-MA Ministry, Inc. is another organization
that works to educate street children, through projects that teach children about hard work while
providing them with an income.
NGO’s and Government helps the homeless; however, as stated on the second statement
above, not all homeless wants to seek help. Their range of searching homeless people must widen,
they must not only focus on families who doesn’t have a proper house to stay. They must also
monitor places where most homeless people came from and what could be their reason for being
homeless. In this way if the cause is known then it would be easily solved rather than dealing with
every homeless family coming from that place.

The State of Homelessness in the Philippines

-Joshua Meribole