Gov’t steps up programs to address poverty, create jobs

MANILA, Philippines — The Duterte administration has stepped up programs to address poverty and create jobs, Malacañang said yesterday, after a nationwide survey indicated that more Filipinos experienced involuntary hunger in the second quarter.

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll conducted on June 22 to 26 indicated that 10 percent or about 2.5 million families experienced involuntary hunger at least once from April to June, up from the 9.5 percent or 2.3 million families recorded in March.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said President Duterte has admitted that more has to be done to solve poverty in the country.

“In his (State of the Nation Address), he said our problem is about six million Filipinos are within the poverty line... In other words, he acknowledged it, that is why our economic managers are doing something,” Panelo said at a press briefing.

Among the anti-poverty initiatives is the P8-trillion Build, Build, Build infrastructure program, which was intended to sustain the Philippines’ growth momentum and to improve its competitiveness, according to Panelo.

“Once the projects are implemented nationwide, Filipinos will have jobs. If trade relations come in, that means there will be investors, there will be new factories, people will have jobs. Your poverty incidence will go down,” he said.

Panelo added that solving poverty has been a “challenge” to all administrations in the Philippines.