The COVID-19 pandemic has plunged more Filipinos into poverty as the nation entered the third year of varying lockdowns. Four presidential candidates on Saturday detailed their plans to alleviate poverty should they be elected to the highest position in the land.
Poverty incidence in the Philippines increased to 23.7% in the first half of 2021 from 21.1% in the same period in 2018, official data showed, which means there are 3.9 million more Filipinos living in poverty.
Nearly half of Filipino families also still consider themselves as poor, a September 2021 Social Weather Stations survey showed, highlighting the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of millions.
What programs and measures will four presidential candidates implement to lift Filipinos out of poverty? Here's what they told GMA News' Jessica Soho:
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno
Moreno, who grew up in the slums of Tondo, focused on addressing the basic needs of poor families, such as housing, medical services, and education.
"Galing ako sa hirap, squatter ako. Mahirap maging squatter sa sarili mong bayan. Ang unang-una kong binalik sa mga taga-Maynila, dignidad. Magkaroon sila ng masisilungan, panatag ang buhay nila," he said.
"Kapag ang mahirap binigyan mo ng pabahay, tumataas kaagad ang kalidad ng pamumuhay. Binigyan mo ng maayos na ospital, kapag nagkasakit ang mga magulang, may matatakbuhan silang maayos at disenteng ospital. Pinag-aaral mo nang maayos yung mga anak, may pasilidad na maganda," he added.
"I think naturally addressing basic needs will alleviate yung katayuan ng buhay ng isang mahirap na pamilya," he said.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson
Lacson said budgetary reforms are crucial to make the distribution of wealth and resources in the country more equitable.
"Kapag nawala o nabawasan nang malaki ang katiwalian sa gobyerno, aasenso yung ating mahihirap. Alam mo yung equitable distribution ng wealth, ng resources ng country? Ang laki ng disparity," he said.
"Kaya nga meron akong budget reform advocacy na kung saan yung budget ikalat natin sa malalayong kanayunan, i-capacitate natin sila para sa gayon marunong silang mag-prepare ng kanilang local development plans at mag-implementa ng mga proyekto. Nang sa ganon, liliit yung pagitan ng mga mayayaman at mahihirap kasi magkakaroon ng opportunity sa malalayong bayan," he added.
"Ito yung number one na aking pinaglalaban. Budget reform advocacy. Yung budget, ito ay napakalaking tool, mainam, mabisang tool para maibsan ang kahirapan ng ating mga kababayan," he also said.
Sen. Manny Pacquiao
For Pacquiao, providing livelihood to poor Filipinos is one way to lift them out of poverty.
"Makapagbigay ng trabaho sa kanila, yun ang importante. Makapagbigay ng sariling tahanan, hanapbuhay, at libreng edukasyon, yung libre talaga na wala nang binabayaran ang mga pamilya. Yun ang kailangan nating tutukan," he said.
"Palakasin natin yung ekonomiya natin nang sa gayon ang trabaho ang maghahanap ng tao, hindi ang tao ang maghahanap ng trabaho. Kahit nga ngayon, ang tao maghanap ng trabaho, walang makitang trabaho, mahirap maghanap ng trabaho. Kaya ang gagawin natin, palakasin natin yung ekonomiya natin at magbigay ng trabaho," he added.
Vice President Leni Robredo
As far as Robredo is concerned, good governance coupled with economic reforms is the key to poverty alleviation, which she said is included her Hanapbuhay Para sa Lahat platform.
"Ang pinakakailangan talaga trabaho. Makaka-create lang tayo ng trabaho dito kapag inayos natin yung ating governance at kapag inayos natin yung ating ekonomiya," she said.
"Aayusin natin yung governance, ifi-fix natin yung ating institutions, ima-maximize natin yung opportunities ng mga local industries, sisiguraduhin natin yung kapakanan ng ating mga workers. Sisiguraduhin natin na kung saan tayo may opportunities magagamit natin," she added.
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