MANILA — The administration expressed optimism Saturday of attaining a single digit poverty rate by
2028, or by the time President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
steps down from power, through his catch-up plan to increase economic growth and ensure high inclusivity rate
of such growth.
In a news forum in Quezon City, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon was asked if the nine percent
poverty rate by 2028 is attainable.
“Yeah. Tingin namin kasi blip talaga iyong 2021
dahil nga sa COVID. So, nakita naman na rin natin iyong
parang what worked before and that was really kailangan mo talaga ng economic growth and then make sure
na itaas mo iyong inclusiveness of the growth,” Edillon
said as response.
“Noong dati po ang naging pagiging inclusive
natin is marami po talaga iyong naging social assistance
natin sa baba. Ang kagandahan naman po doon itong
social assistance na ito kaakibat po rin nito iyong sa education, sa healthcare and then sa training.”
The previous administration had posted 21.8
percent poverty rate in 2021, Edillon pointed out.
According to Edillon, the country’s labor market
recovered quickly following the Philippines’ reopening
from COVID-19 pandemic because of the available skills
of the Filipino workforce.
The good thing about the pandemic is that it did
not ruin infrastructure or capital unlike to other disasters,
Edillon said.
“So, ang kailangan mo lang talaga is ibalik kaya
lang nakita rin natin nagkakaroon din ng restructuring in
other countries pati sa atin tama din iyon kasi nga nagiba na rin talaga iyong panahon ngayon at kailangan
lang nating mabilis na mag-adjust dito. So, iyon ang nakikita namin,” she said.
And discussing the country’s growth drivers,
the NEDA official said Central Luzon, Calabarzon and
Metro Manila remain the top contributors to the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP).
But other regions have shown increased growth
such as Central Visayas, Davao Region, and Northern
Mindanao, which have been catching up in terms of
growth.
“Malaki iyong pag-catch up nila kaya lang siyempre dahil una sa lahat ay maliit din sila na region in
terms of population so hind rin talaga sila ano—kung titingnan mo iyong total GRDP – Gross Regional Domestic
Product ay hindi pa rin sila papantay sa NCR,“ she explained.
“Kung per capita income po ang titingnan may
laban po ang nasa CAR actually – malakas ang tourism,
sila talaga ang pinakanakinabang,” she added. (PND)
