Gov’t assures sustained poverty reduction initiatives

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang assured that the government’s anti-poverty drive will be sustained even after a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that the self-rated poverty rate hit a new record low of 38 percent in the first quarter of 2019, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

READ: Self-rated poverty rate drops to record low 38% – SWS survey

“Poverty reduction efforts, particularly those designed for the lowest rung of society, remains on track. We aim to reduce poverty from 21.6% in 2015 to 14% in 2022, which is equivalent to lifting about 6 million Filipinos out of poverty by the end of the President’s term,” Panelo said in a statement Wednesday.

“And we will grind daily to reach this goal,” he added.

Panelo thanked President Duterte’s economic managers, members of the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cabinet Cluster,  and the social welfare officers and barangay health workers “for tirelessly making a positive impact on the socioeconomic lives of our countrymen.”

“This, notwithstanding the divisive and destructive political propaganda war waged by the President’s critics and detractors during the campaign period for the midterm elections when the survey was conducted,” Panelo noted.  (Editor: Gilbert S. Gaviola)