Binay: More poor Filipinos under Aquino administration

The camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay has claimed that more Filipinos called themselves poor since President Benigno Aquino III assumed the presidency in 2010.

In a statement on Thursday, Binay’s spokesperson Joey Salgado cited the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey on self-rated poverty.

He said the fourth quarter 2015 SWS survey showed 50 percent or an estimated 11.2 million families considering themselves poor, an increase from 48 percent or nine million families in third quarter 2010 or within the first three months of Aquino administration.

“They cannot dispute the fact that more Filipinos consider themselves poor today than in 2010,” Salgado said.

Salgado said the SWS survey results disputed the inclusive growth being bannered by the current administration.

He said the Binay administration would focus on uplifting the lives of the poor.

“Where are we at right now? Despite the economic growth the administration keeps crowing about, 10 million Filipinos are still unemployed. More and more Filipinos are forced to leave the country to find work overseas because there no job opportunities here. The cost of healthcare has risen and it is getting harder for people to get treatment in hospitals,” Salgado said.

“Do we want more of the same? Of course not. The Vice President will not allow poverty—spawned by six years of incompetence, insensitivity, and indecisiveness—to continue,” Salgado added. RC