Philippines: 3 Million Filipinos Rise from Poverty — Palace
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MANILA — The incidence of poverty in the country has continuously been decreasing, what with the bullish economy and the progress-oriented and pro-poor programs under the Arroyo administration.
Over three million Filipinos have so far risen from extreme poverty since 2000, Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo said in a statement today, citing a report by the World Bank, the world’s leading institution for development.
The WB estimates that by the end of this year, only some 8.4 percent of Filipinos would be living on a dollar a day – the standard by which the said institution measures extreme poverty.
Saludo said the WB forecast is buoyed up by the continuous improvement in the Philippine economy, which is projected to grow by as much as 5.7 percent this year.
With this, the WB believes that some three million Filipinos have been lifted so far from extreme poverty, or a decline to 8.4 percent at the end of 2007 from the 13.5 percent in 2000, reflecting a slash of 5.1 percent, according to figures released by the WB as published in the “East Asia Update: Managing Through a Global Downturn.”
“Now that the government has increased its fund sources and earnings, public infrastructure and public service will surely follow, thus providing employment opportunities and expanding education, health, housing and other services for the people,” Saludo said.
“Through these measures, the government shall accomplish its dream of slashing by half the number of poor Filipinos by the year 2010,” he added. (ops)
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