I wouldn’t say “impoverished” when the majority of the country appears that way “to Western” eyes. My parents came from those areas but impoverished wasn’t my feeling. You see a lot of companionship and love there. “It’s just Life”. It’s unfair to compare it to other societies. There are native tribes I Brazil that are still living Stone Age, no electricity. By comparison Filipinos in the “Projects” are rich having electricity and a running faucet.