Amid high self-rated poverty, Palace vows incoming gov’t projects for more jobs

MANILA, Philippines — The government’s incoming projects and “competent” economic managers will address the high self-rated poverty as shown by a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, Malacañang assured Sunday.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo pointed out there are instances when public sentiments fluctuate depending on their situation.

“‘Yung survey natin ‘di ba there was a time na umakyat, meron naman time bumababa. So talagang nagfla-flactuate ang sentemnyento ng mga tao depended sa kalakaran na nakakabalot sa kanila,” Panelo said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer.

(There was a time when the survey results went up, and then another when it went down. So the people’s sentiments really fluctuate depending on the situation around them.)

A recent SWS survey showed at least 54 percent of Filipinos consider themselves as poor, the highest recorded results under President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.

The spokesman reminded the public that the government has many incoming projects that will generate more employment.

“Tandaan mo marami tayong mga incoming projects. Pag yan eh sunod-sunod na mag umpisa na eh di syempre maraming trabaho na lilikhain nito, maraming mga kababayan natin na mahihirap na magkakaron ng pagkakataon na gumanda ang kanilang buhay, pang araw-araw,” he said.

(Remember we have plenty of incoming projects. If that occurs, many jobs will be created and many of our less unfortunate countrymen will have the chance to improve their lives.)

Panelo also assured that the government’s economic managers will help ease poverty.

“Ang ating mga economic managers magagaling sila, they were able to neutralize the high inflation rate. Sa panahon na mataas, nakagawa sila ng mga kaparaanan upang ma control nila,” Panelo said.

(Our economic managers are competent. They were able to neutralize the high inflation. When it was high, they made a way to control it.)