I guess the main reason is they don't earn much income from their job, most the filipinos who really aim to have higher income are just going abroad as they earn better and they have better opportunity, and other thing is lack of discipline to save, since the first step before you'll be able to invest, is you need to start saving first, if they failed in the first step, it's not possible they'll be able to invest, unless they'll take a loan to invest the money, which I believe not advisable.