With catch-up plan, single digit poverty rate by 2028 attainable, says NEDA official
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.
“ 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 nag-iba 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. Presidential News Desk
