COMMUNITY ACTION

- refers to collective efforts done by people directed toward addressing social problems

- can take the form of community engagement and solidarity, which bolster citizenship in the process

PURPOSE OF COMMUNITY ACTION

is for people to work in solidarity in order to address a certain social problem

FIVE MAJOR SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Education

   • As of 2008, the basic literacy in the country is at 95.6%, while functional literacy is at 84.1%. While these figures show that the Philippines is a literate society, there is a geographic graph wherein urban centers have higher literacy rates, as compared to the rural areas. To address this problem and increase the adult literacy rate in the country, the Department of Education (DepEd) initiated the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program for out-of-school youths and adults. Moreover, the government has enacted the kindergarten Act of 2012 (making preschool for five-years-old free, mandatory and compulsory) and the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (K to 12 Law) in order to improve the overall educational system of the country.

   • Despite these efforts, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) points out that the Philippines still remains among the countries where educational inequality prevails.

   • The research arm of a Switzerland-based business school, the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) recently released the results of its survey on the talent competitiveness of 63 countries from around the world. Based on the rankings, the Philippines managed to jump up to 49th place from 55th last year.

   • The research arm of Switzerland-based business school, the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) recently released the results of its survey on the talent competitiveness of 63 countries from around the world. Based on the rankings, the Philippines managed to jump up to 49th place from 55th last year.

   • For poor families, specifically, only seven out of ten are able to complete grade school; of this seven, only three finish high school; and of the three, only one is able to graduate from college (Durban and Catalan 2012). These figures show that education still remains elusive to the poor due to the complexities brought about by poverty.

   • Using gender as a lens, there are fewer males from the lower income strata who are able to complete secondary and tertiary education than females; this makes females more educated than their male counterparts (Okabe 2013). Given the data, there is a need to pay closer attention to males during their adolescent years so they may finish high school and college and close the gender inequality gap in education. On average, girls are more motivated than boys to perform well in school, at least during elementary school. By the time girls reach high school, however, some may try to down play their own academic ability in order make themselves more likeable by both sexes (Davies, 2005). Even if this occurs, though, it does not affect their grades: from kindergarten through twelfth grade, girls earn slightly higher average grades than boys (Freeman, 2004). This fact does not lead to similar achievement, however, because as youngsters move into high school, they tend to choose courses or subjects conventionally associated with their gender—math and science for boys, in particular, and literature and the arts for girls. By the end of high school, this difference in course selection makes a measurable difference in boys’ and girls’ academic performance in these subjects.

     But again, consider my caution about stereotyping: there are individuals of both sexes whose behaviors and choices run counter to the group trends. (I have made this point as well in “Preparing for Licensure: Interpreting Gender-Related Behavior” by deliberately concealing the gender of a student described.) Differences within each gender group generally are far larger than any differences between the groups. A good example is the “difference” in cognitive ability of boys and girls. Many studies have found none at all. A few others have found small differences, with boys slightly better at math and girls slightly better at reading and literature. Still other studies have found the differences not only are small, but have been getting smaller in recent years compared to earlier studies. Collectively the findings about cognitive abilities are virtually “non-findings,” and it is worth asking why gender differences have therefore been studied and discussed so much for so many years (Hyde, 2005). How do teachers influence gender roles?

   • Another important issue that the current educational system faces is the overloaded curriculum, which makes it difficult for learners to absorb knowledge and skills (Durban and Catalan 2012). Many learners carry so many textbooks on schools that cause pain to their backs, and many are not able to read them all (Durban and Catalan 2012).

2. Health

   • The health status of the Philippines has improved in the last decades as evidenced by longer life expectancy at birth (65 for males and 72 for females), lower maternal mortality ratio, lower child and infant mortality rates, and better health outcomes in the management of many important diseases (NEDA 2011). However, progress has been very slow as compared to the Philippine’s neighboring countries in the Southeast Asian and Western Pacific regions. When it comes to the health workforce, many parts of the country, especially in far-flung and depressed areas, remain undeserved. In fact, four of the ten Filipinos have never seen a health professional in their entire lifetime, while six out of ten Filipinos die without being attended to by health professionals (Quitangon 2013).

     Top 10 Most Common Health Issues

   • Physical Activity and Nutrition

   • Overweight and Obesity

   • Tobacco

   • Substance Abuse

   • HIV/AIDS

   • Mental Health

   • Injury and Violence

   • Environmental Quality

   • Immunization

   • Access to Health Care

   • However, progress has been very slow as compared to the Philippine’s neighboring countries in the Southeast Asian and Western Pacific regions. When it comes to the health workforce, many parts of the country, especially in far-flung and depressed areas, remain underserved. In fact, four of the ten Filipinos have never seen a health professional in their entire lifetime, while six out of ten Filipinos die without being attended to by health professionals (Quitangon 2013).

3. Livelihood