MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is aware of the millions of Filipinos mired in poverty, Malacañang said Tuesday, assuring the public the government is doing measures to address the issue.
“Hindi ba tinatanggap ni Presidente iyon? Doon sa Sona niya, ‘di ba sinasabi niya ‘na ito ang problema natin, may 6 na milyong Pilipino ang nasa poverty line, kailangang gawan natin ito ng paraan?” Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
“In other words, in-acknowledge niya, that is why our economic managers are doing something,” Panelo added.
While the President admitted in his fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona) that poverty incidence has declined in the Philippines, he said there are “six million Filipinos we need to pull out from poverty.”
“Kindly help me on this,” Duterte appealed to lawmakers.
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Panelo touted Duterte’s P8 trillion infrastructure program, which he said could help the government address poverty in the country.
“Alam ninyo, pag meron kang poverty, ibig sabihin, kulang ang income na pumapasok sa Pilipinas. Kaya nga tayo may mga build, build, build,” he said.
“Pag iyang mga projects na iyan kumalat sa buong bansa, ibig sabihin may trabaho ang mga Pilipino. Pag may pumasok naman na mga trade relations, ibig sabihin may pumasok ditong mag-i-invest, may pabrikang mga bago, may trabaho na naman ang Pilipino. Oh, di iyong poverty mo lumiliit ang bilang – iyon ang ibig sabihin noon,” he added.