source http://lailustrada.blogspot.com/2010/11/rural-to-urban-migration.html
Volumes of Filipinos from the rural areas are continuously moving to metro cities in the Philippines like to Metro Manila, Cebu, or Davao. This is especially evident in the National Capital Region, which at present has a very high population density with 11.5 million recorded residents. Rural to urban migration, i.e., the movement of people from the countryside to the city, is facilitated by the thought that jobs are available in the metro city, which is their only hope to have a better life. Poverty, insufficient opportunities to have good education and healthcare, unproductive land, and fewer employment opportunities in the rural areas are among their reasons. I remember that my mother, who grew up in a rural area in the province, had to go by foot to be able to go to the nearest elementary school, specifically that was in the 1960's. Currently, students in this town still do this, i.e., they have to cross rivers and mountains on their slippers to be able to attend school. With basic necessities such as education, healthcare and jobs not sufficiently available in rural areas, Filipinos are encouraged to move to urban cities. But in reality urban migration does not guarantee an end to rural poverty. Those who move from the provinces to metro cities such as the National Capital Region end up jobless, homeless, and actually do not get to have a better quality of life just like what they have hoped for. What makes it worse is that this actually is detrimental to the growth and development of metro cities. Overpopulation, like in Metro Manila, one of the reasons of which is rural to urban migration, leads to higher unemployment and underemployment rates, high numbers of informal settlers, air, water, and noise pollution, more waste and garbage and greater abuse of natural resources in metro cities (e.g., families squatting near rivers and under bridges, lead to more wastes going to the Pasig River), which hinder the development of these cities, lead to more problems, and make sustainable development less attainable. Housing of rural to urban migrants often becomes a collection of primitive shacks made of any available material, and most houses lack basic necessities such as electricity, clean water, sewerage, human waste and rubbish disposal which are not only dangerous for the health and safety of those living in these houses but also to the environment. There is also an increase in crime rate and number of street children, with the lack of education and employment. Schools and health care centers are neither enough to accommodate and address the needs of these people.
One of the reasons for urbanization is that people living in the rural areas think that urban life will be better - of course with the presence of better facilities such as schools, hospitals, technology and infrastructure in general. In addition, they think that urban life will be glamorous or maybe more stimulating - there are huge shopping centers and commercial areas, cinemas, hotels - which rural communities lack. But having a better quality of life is not attained simply by moving to an urban community where jobs are available. Yes, there could be jobs available, but the question is are those who are moving knowledgeable, skilled, and competent to qualify for these jobs? As supported by the human capital theory, education is a key to improving an individual's economic state and quality of life, which in turn will contribute to the economic development of the community that he or she belongs to. There are those who live in rural areas who have actually become successful given their knowledge, skills, creativity and determination in thinking of ways to improve their economic status in the province without having to move to a metro city. Agriculture is said to be one of the promising industries in the Philippines in the next ten years, and these successful individuals who live in rural areas have engaged in agribusiness (e.g., plant - vegetables, fruits and crops, animal, fish, salt production). Agribusiness is on top in terms of the industries that offer in-demand and hard-to-fill jobs in the Philippines at least in the next ten years, and this is something that rural communities can take advantage of. At the side of the government, promises have been made in terms of developing regional and rural areas such as in terms of transportation, education, and other basic needs that should be provided, i.e., if we could remember this has been repeatedly mentioned in a number of State of the Nation addresses in the past years. But what is the status of these projects and promises now? Higher rates of urban poverty is also one of the offshoots of rural to urban migration, which has become an additional social issue that needs to be resolved. From the end of the government there is still this pending task to facilitate development and bring in opportunities in rural areas (as well as in urban areas) so that people there would also have more chances to prosper without having to migrate to the already overcrowded and abused urban areas. However, at the end of the citizens, there is also a need to work hard to improve their own standards of living (e.g., find ways to improve level of knowledge and skills, have the right attitude and try to go beyond just surviving day by day in poor living conditions) to prosper and contribute to the betterment of the society - ecologically, economically, and intellectually - wherever they may decide to live.