Manila, Philippines- Lawmakers from both the lower and upper houses asserted that government aid is not the solution to addressing poverty in the country.
According to Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel and Congressman Edcel Lagman, the government needs to acknowledge that poverty is a significant problem for Filipinos.
“Una, we have to accept that… na talaga poverty is a principal problem.” said Cong. Lagman.
This was Lagman’s statement when discussing solutions to the country’s poverty issues.
The lawmaker emphasized that the effective approach to solving poverty is not by providing aid but by offering adequate skills and education that can help provide livelihoods.
“Give our people the necessary skills to education and training, technical education also… and give them capital, in order na meron silang puhunan para kumita, pero kung ayuda lamang ay walang mangyayari. That will even exacerbate poverty.” the lawmaker added.
He suggested that the Department of Education and the Department of Health should have a convergence program to address malnutrition and stunting in children, which greatly affects students’ learning abilities.
In Sen. Koko Pimentel’s view, aid has become a form of gift-giving by politicians.
While programs like the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) and the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the DSWD, as well as the TUPAD program of DoLE, are helpful, some of these are only temporary assistance.
In response, Pimentel stated that if more jobs are needed, the government should create manufacturing sectors that generate more employment.
“I think this is already backed by historical studies and data, the best way to job is through manufacturing. We must be manufacturing something.” Pimentel reiterates.
Lawmakers also questioned the employment rate in the Philippines. In April 2024, the employment rate reached 96%.
Pimentel recommended that the Philippine Statistics Authority should change the definition of who is considered employed and unemployed.
“We are so lose with our definition, we have to improve of who got employed, kasi yun ang minaminus sa 100 to get the unemployed. We have to be realistic.”
Lagman agreed that the underemployment data in the country should not be ignored.
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