900,000 Pinoys lifted from poverty – PSA
MANILA, Philippines — Approximately 900,000 people have been lifted from poverty based on the latest Philippine Statistics Authority report that showed poverty incidence dropping to 22.4 percent in the first half of 2023 from 23.7 percent in the same period two years ago.
According to the PSA, the 22.4-percent rate translated to about 25.24 million Filipinos, while the 1.3-percentage-point drop simply meant that almost 900,000 people have lifted themselves from poverty and have now reached middle-class status.
Speaker Martin Romualdez, in a statement, gave assurance that the House of Representatives would continue pursuing and funding programs of President Marcos intended to improve the lives of millions of poor Filipinos.
“We are happy for 900,000 of our countrymen whose situation has improved. We will continue to help the more than 25 million get out of poverty through intervention programs Congress, principally the House where the national budget emanates, should consistently fund,” he said.
To complement such programs, the Speaker said House members and other lawmakers and local government officials, individually or collectively, undertake their own assistance projects that benefit their constituents.
“We hope we can reduce poverty to a single-digit rate by the end of the term of President Marcos as he has set out to do when he assumed the presidency,” Romualdez said.
The Chief Executive wants the poverty level, pegged in 2019 at 18 percent, cut to eight percent before 2028.
The House leader cited the 4Ps, Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, TUPAD (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers), free college education, free health insurance and the grant of direct cash subsidies as among government intervention measures.
He said the House has chosen to exercise its oversight power as needed to bring down the price of rice and other staples to affordable levels by fighting inflation, smuggling, hoarding, price manipulation and similar abusive practices.
Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte cited Romualdez for steering through the House the swift passage of the government’s priority legislative measures designed to sustain the robust
