Gov’t not relent in efforts to reduce poverty: Palace

File photo: Alessio Moiola / ShutterStock

MANILA (PNA) — The government will not relent in its efforts at reducing the poverty level in the country, said Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma.

In a Palace press briefing on Monday, Coloma said that based on the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), the Philippines aims to reduce poverty rates by half to 16.5 percent in 2015.

Citing statistical data, he said poverty incidence in the country already declined to 24.9 percent in 2013 from 31 percent in 1991.

Last year’s poverty figure, however, was still higher than the MDG target to bring down poverty incidence to 16.

5 percent next year, he added.

“Kaya ‘yon ang ating pinagsisikapang pag-ibayuhin na mabawasan pa.

(We are maximizing our efforts to further lower the poverty rate),” he said.

Coloma said government agencies concerning poverty reduction and social protection are continuously working to bring down the number of poor people in the country.

He also cited the 2014 National Budget, with bulk or 37 percent has been allotted to poverty reduction and social protection.

“Kaya tinitiyak ko sa inyo na hindi nagpapabaya ang pamahalaan at ginagawang puspusan ang pagsisikap (I am assuring you that the government is not relent in its efforts),” he added.