Article Reflection No. 82 (12/30/2023)

Article: Workers on a Philippines Coconut Farm: Born Poor, Staying Poor

Reflection: 

In The New York Times article “Workers on a Philippines Coconut Farm: Born Poor, Staying Poor”, journalist Peter S. Goodman describes the generational poverty that persists in Mindanao, a Philippine island whose rural residents rely on the coconut oil industry for income. This industry is especially volatile in terms of profit given the fluctuating coconut oil prices, which depends on international commerce, according to Goodman. A farmer earns approximately $1,100 on average each year, which is a lacking sum especially compared to the cost of a single truck repair—approximately $2,600. The process behind coconut oil manufacturing stems from farmers’ harvests, which are then transferred to processing plants that squeeze the juice from the fruit. After this, the remaining coconut pieces are dried at plants—generally owned by women—then sold to processing plants for the final transformation into oil. 

My first reaction to this article was surprise given the meager amount of money that these farmers earn per year. An average $1,100 divided by 12 months is approximately $91.67 per month. The annual sum divided by 52 weeks is about $21.15. This means that, if the same amount of money is used each day, only around $3.02 is spent on that daily basis. I wonder how one is able to support themselves and their family in this bleak financial setting. And if inflation occurs, what next?