By Beatrice Puente
(March 23, 2022) – Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday said the government must help cultivate a “sense of community” that will encourage every sector in the society to help those in need, noting the significance of a collective effort in dealing with poverty.
Robredo, an independent presidential candidate in the 2022 elections, said poverty should be taken as a social responsibility instead of merely leaving the poor with meager resources.
“Dapat ‘yung kahirapan tinitingnan natin na responsibility nating lahat para kabahagi tayo ng solusyon,” said Robredo during her visit to a non-profit organization in San Antonio, Nueva Ecija before her camp’s rally. “Hindi ‘yung mahirap ka, iiwanan ka. O mahirap ka, ‘yung tingin sa’yo, mababa.”
Close to 24% of the population or 26.14 million Filipinos were considered poor in the first half of 2021, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), as many struggled from the heavy burdens dealt by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the first year of the health crisis, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the provision of cash aid to low-income families of up to P8,000 each. But various groups said this was barely enough to deal with the rising costs of basic needs due to inflation.
Robredo, an economist and a lawyer, acknowledged that giving cash assistance could be beneficial as a stop-gap measure but this should not be the only solution of the government to help the poor.
“Pinakamahalaga na ‘yung pamahalaan ‘yung nagbibigay ng trabaho para nabubuhay ‘yung mga kababayan natin nang may dignidad. Hindi naman nila gusto na tatanggap lang sila ng ayuda pero ang gusto nila, may trabaho sila,” said Robredo.
Many Filipinos have returned to work as more industries have been allowed to reopen under Alert Level 1. The PSA said the unemployment rate went down to 6.4%—corresponding to 2.9 million people—in January. The labor force participation rate, however, was only at 60.5%.
Robredo stressed that a clean and honest government will inspire the people to take action. She noted that government officials do not need to carry the sole burden of resolving the issues of poverty and unemployment as civil society groups have always been willing to contribute as well.
“Gusto sana nating ma-cultivate ‘yung sense of community na hindi natin pinapabayaan ‘yung nangangailangan. Dapat gobyerno ‘yung gumagawa noon. Hindi gobyerno ‘yung gagawa ng lahat pero dapat ‘yung gobyerno ‘yung nag-e-encourage sa tao na gawin ‘yung kanyang share,” urged Robredo.
She further reminded that voting should not be based on popularity but on the beliefs and character of the candidate.
“Hindi lang naman natin binobotohan kung sino ‘yung mas popular. Hindi naman binobotohan kung sino ‘yung type lang natin na pagmumukha. Pero ‘yung binobotohan natin, paniniwala,” said Robredo. “‘Yung binobotohan natin, uri ng pamamahala na gusto nating mamayani sa bansa natin sa susunod na anim na taon.”
(PM)
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