The latest survey showing that 12.2-million Filipino families felt "poor" makes the current administration's agenda on lowering the poverty rate "more urgent."
Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles stated this on Wednesday, Aug. 3, although President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has no specific order yet following the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
"If anything this makes the matter more urgent at mas malapit nating tututukan ang pagbuwag ng poverty levels dito sa Pilipinas, at least ma-diminish natin to single-digit level (and to work on eradicating poverty levels in the Philippines closely, at least we diminish ti to single-digit level)," Angeles said.
The Press Secretary said that while the President has yet to make a specific directive, part of his plan to achieve the goal in lessening the poverty rate under his watch is improving the agriculture sector, which he leads.
"Wala pa akong (There is no) specific orders but since he is the secretary of Agriculture, bahagi po yun yung ating pagpapalakas ng agrikultura, pagpapalakas ng ekonomiya natin (part of that is by boosting our agriculture and economy). Lahat po yun ay makakatulong para mapuntirya natin itong levels ng poverty dito sa Pilipinas (All of that will help in achieving low poverty level in the Philippines)," she said.
Angeles also cited the President's pronouncement during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), where he laid out his plan to reduce the poverty rate to only single digit by 2028.
Based on the latest SWS survey, the number of Filipinos who felt they are "poor" grew from 10.9 million in the first quarter of the year to 12.2 million in the second quarter.