Malacañang expressed excitement to the March 2019 Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey result saying Filipino families who said they had experienced hunger dropped to a single-digit 9.5% in the first quarter of 2019.
According to Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, this is the second consecutive quarter where there has been a decrease in the national hunger incidence.
Panelo pointed out that hunger incidence declined in Metro Manila to 6.6% from 18.3% last December 2018 to 11.7% last month.
“The polling firm SWS said this is the first in four consecutive quarters that there was a decrease in Metro Manila’s hunger incidence,” Panelo said.
Panelo highlighted that these figures indicate that the president’s efforts in addressing soaring prices and running a bureaucracy that efficiently delivers basic services to the poor and marginalized are beginning to bear fruits and now being felt by Filipinos.
“While many Filipino families remain in poverty and continue to experience hunger, the Chief Executive has been working tirelessly in improving the socioeconomic status of millions of Filipinos for them to lead a more comfortable, secure and prosperous life,” Panelo added.
President Duterte’s political will and decisive leadership Panelo reiterated, resulted in the following pro-poor social amelioration programs, such as free tuition in state colleges and universities, free irrigation for farmers, universal health care for all Filipinos, free medicine for indigent Filipinos, institutionalized free school feeding program for public school children, salary increases of police, firemen, military and jail personnel and teachers, higher pension for seniors and war veterans, among many others.
“Indeed, much have been done in the first three years and with a workaholic and compassionate leader at the helm, much more would be accomplished in the remainder of PRRD’s term.”
