The deprived poor and the “entitled” rich

Sadly, inequality has remained and continues as a pervasive reality throughout the world.

A few wealthy continue to be richer, the more numerous, poorer and more widespread through the years.

Have you ever wondered what this world would be if the wealthy among the 2.6 billion people (about 31.7% of the 2025 population) identified as Christians (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, others) would follow these words of Jesus who answered when asked how to get eternal life: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me?”

Despite Jesus’ clear words of Jesus about the rich and the kingdom of God, inequality remains among believers and non-believers.

Wealthy or not, Christians or non-believers, if everyone loves their neighbor as they love themselves, if sharing became the norm/practice worldwide, would inequality still persist or not?

Regrettably, as Jesus himself confirmed: “again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

How many or how few have harkened these words of the Lord: “And everyone who has left houses or brothers/sisters/father/mother/wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first?”

Many of those who are first and rich continue to behave and feel entitled to always be first and rich.

Many of the rich who are first and rich ignore or patronize the poor who they think are rightfully to be considered among the last and deprived.

The poor themselves have resigned themselves to be among the last and deprived. The poor have never imagined they are entitled to go beyond being poor.

Recent developments clearly concretize the huge gap between the deprived poor and the entitled rich.

A Social Weather survey showed 16.8 million (55%) of Filipino families who rated themselves poor as of September 2026 (higher than the 49% in June 2026).

“Self-Rated Poverty was highest in Mindanao at 64%, followed by the Visayas at 63%, Balance Luzon at 51%, and Metro Manila at 44%.”

Self-rated poverty was accompanied by nation-wide self-rated food poverty which rose from 36% in June 2026 to 44% in September 2026.

Self-Rated Poverty Threshold (SRP Threshold) rose from ?14,000 in June 2026 to ?15,000 in September 2026. SRP Threshold refers to the household’s budget for home expenses, i.e. the minimum monthly amount that the household of a SRP respondent says it needs in order not to be considered poor anymore.

Self-Rated Poverty Gap (SRP Gap) rose from ?5,000 to ?6,000. The SRP gap show is how much the household still lacks.

While the poor who rated themselves deprived of food, budget and other essentials continue to rise, the ongoing impeachment proceedings show the glaring contrast of the increase in the entitlements of the rich like VP Sara and her husband.

Prosecution witnesses and data presented before the Senate Impeachment court from “subpoenaed bank, tax, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and corporate records” showed “figures that ranges from ?817.87 million to as high as ?1.5 billion (covering the years 2022 to 2025)” and that “includes undeclared cash, personal and real properties, and income from companies.”

While the poor are scrimping and tightening their belts to have food and pesos to survive daily, the impeachment proceedings are informing the public how the rich are reportedly increasing their cash/bank deposits/personal/real properties/ income from companies amounting to millions, even billions.

When will the poor understand that their poverty/deprivation are related to the wealth and power of the few privileged?