Press Release
May 21, 2008

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada warns Palace of worsening poverty

Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada warned the Arroyo administration that more Filipinos consider themselves poor and the government should act immediately to curb poverty.

The latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that Filipinos who rated themselves as poor in terms of food have increased to 40 percent of the respondents last March compared to 34 percent last December.

Estrada said that the latest figure was the lowest so far since the SWS began making the survey on poverty in 1988.

He said that administration officials have blamed the development on the rising prices of food prices that have made people feel they are poorer that last year.

"The administration should not blame other factors for the worsening poverty in the country, Malacañang officials should blame themselves for not doing enough to help emancipate the masses from poverty," Estrada said.

He said the government should immediately implement programs to curb the continuing increase in the prices of rice and other basic commodities and prevent the decline in the buying power of consumers.

"It is very ironic that the peso is stronger than the US dollar but the buying power of the peso is declining," Estrada pointed out.

Estrada said the administration should stop graft and corruption that have reduced government funds that should be used for poverty-alleviation programs to develop agricultural production and create more jobs for the people.

He said the uncontrolled increase in the prices of basic commodities have aggravated poverty and hunger in the country.

"The rising prices have undermined the strong peso and the government should do something to stop the decline in the buying power of the people," Estrada said.

News Latest News Feed