Pinoys feeling worse about quality of life cause for concern – Palace

By Prince Golez

Malacañang has expressed concern over a survey which showed that 79 percent of adult Filipinos believe their quality of life got worse today than in the past year.

“The Social Weather Stations National Mobile Phone Survey showing a big majority of Filipinos indicated that their quality of life got worse this year compared to a year ago is a cause of concern,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement released Friday.

Roque acknowledged that the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has negatively impacted several aspects of economic life.

“We understand this public sentiment considering that our government economists have mentioned that prior to Covid-19, the Philippines was among the fastest-growing economies in the region, with low and stable inflation and lowest ever rates of unemployment, underemployment, and poverty,” according to him.

“The coronavirus has indeed adversely affected our economy and people’s livelihood and business,” he said.

In responding to the socio-economic impact of the health crisis, Roque said government economists will implement a “whole-of-society” program dubbed as “Recharge PH” that aims to “refocus, sharpen the design and accelerate” the implementation of programs under the 2020 General Appropriations.

The program will be incorporated in the Updated Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022.

The Palace official mentioned that projects under President Rodrigo Duterte’s flagship infrastructure program would also help jumpstart the country’s ailing economy.

“The government’s priority Build, Build, Build programs have also started, subject to health and safety protocols, to create jobs and stimulate the economy.

“We are guided by ingat buhay para sa hanapbuhay as we resolve to recover gradually,” Roque concluded.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)