Aquino admin vows to redouble reform effort

As it enters the last year of its term, the Aquino administration will redouble its efforts in pursuing reforms imperative in further improving the overall quality of life of Filipinos.

“Sa darating na 12 buwan, higit pang pag-iibayuhin ang tapat na paglilingkod upang tiyakin ang pagpapatuloy ng reporma at pagiging matatag na mga pampublikong institusyon,” said Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.

Coloma said the government has been placing the highest priority on the development of people.

He noted that the country is earmarking a big portion of the national budget at 37 percent, or almost Php1 trillion, to social development and poverty reduction programs.

The PCOO chief, particularly cited the expanded poverty alleviation program, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), that provides educational opportunities, health services and livelihood.

He attributed the decline in the hunger incidence in the country to the implementation of these programs.

Citing the May 2015 hunger survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS), Coloma said self-rated poverty figures declined by 800,000 for the past three months.

This is 3.7 points below the 17.2 percent (about. 3.8 million families) in December 2014, the lowest in 10 years since May 2005, when it was at 12 percent.

Moreover, Coloma said unemployment rate in the country declined to 6.6 percent in January 2015 from 7.5 percent the previous year. (PNA)