DAVAO CITY – Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque is optimistic the country will see a continued drop in poverty incidence under the Duterte administration.
Roque is banking on the “Build Build Build” program, which he said will translate to jobs and livelihood opportunities for Filipinos.
He also cited the continued implementation of the government’s 4Ps program through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Roque said an additional assistance is given to 4Ps beneficiaries to ease the effect of TRAIN (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion).
Roque said his bullish assessment came on the heels of reports of the latest survey of the Social Weather Station showing that one of three or 30 percent of Filipino families have escaped poverty.
Roque said this could be the result of the administration’s push for inclusive, sustainable and resilient growth in the country.
“As we all know the Duterte administration has espoused inclusive, sustainable and resilient growth. We have broadened access to free education, medicine, health care, and other basic services to ensure that our people directly benefit from the country’s economic gains while reducing the vulnerability of families through our conditional cash transfer programs and employment facilitation and microenterprise projects,” Roque told reporters in a press briefing Saturday at the Presidential Guesthouse in Panacan, this city.
Roque said the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte will continue to spearhead initiatives to combat poverty.
Roque also earlier announced the SWS survey conducted from March 23 to 27 showed that the number of Filipinos who considered themselves poor continue to decrease to a record-low 42 percent. This is lower by two percent from the 44 percent registered in December 2017.
It also showed a drop in the number of Filipino families rating their food as poor from 32 percent to 29 percent or 6.7 million families last March. Roque said the government’s poverty-alleviation efforts are gaining ground.
The government, Roque said, will continue to enhance social protection mechanisms. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
