ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / May 11, 2014) – The Philippines has renewed its commitment to fight poverty and will continue to carry out programs aimed at alleviating the country’s poor after a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations showed declining poverty levels.
The surveys showed that poverty declined from the first semester of 2012 to the first semester of 2013.
“While we are encouraged by these results, the government is determined to intensify efforts to implement reform measures and poverty reduction programs that will lead to the attainment of the goal of inclusive growth,” a government spokesman Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said.
Citing a report from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Coloma said poverty incidence declined from 27.9% in 2012 to 24.9% in 2013.
Aside from the SWS survey, another survey was conducted by Pulse Asia regarding a proposal by Congress to amend the Constitution, but many Filipinos were not in favor this.
“The survey results seem to indicate that there is a low awareness level and that agreement on the need for Charter change is still a minority view among the citizenry,” Coloma said.
He said President Benigno Aquino remains firm in his stand that Charter change is not a priority of his administration.
20