‘It’s time to save people from hunger and poverty’ – Malacañang

Manila, Philippines – Malacañang supports recommendation to put the entire country to Modified General Community Quarantine, saying it is about time to save the people from hunger and poverty.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, February 16, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that struggles on non-Covid related activities is greater and that based on Octa Research, 93% of the people are already wearing face masks.

“Dahil mas matimbang na nga yung paghihirap natin dahil sa non-Covid-related activities at dahil napatunayan naman ng mga Pilipino sa isang survey po ng Octa Research, 93 percent po ang sumusunod sa pagsusuot ng mask sa ating mga kababayan,” he said.

This then, he said, shows that it is about time to salvage the people from hunger and poverty, “pinapakita po natin na panahon na po siguro talaga na isalba naman natin ang ating mga kababayan sa pagkagutom at sa pagkahirap...”

Roque further mentioned that he is one among the IATF members who voted to recommend the shift to President Rodrigo Duterte, citing National Economic and Development Authority’s study wherein more people are suffering from hunger and poverty compared to the 550,860 infected with Covid-19.

“Mas matimbang po ngayon yung mga kababayan natin na nagugutom na nasa 23.7 million, ‘yung ating additional na naghirap na mga kababayan nasa 4.5 million, yung mga karagdagang nawalan ng trabaho at 2.7 million at yung all other deaths po na 480,338,” he said.

Meanwhile, the National Economic and Development Authority had recommended balancing the economy and the control of the virus. It was mentioned that a total of P1.04 trillion income was lost due to the quarantine restriction since 2020

“Kailangan po natin magshift sana sa lalong madaling panahon to MGCQ for the entire Philippines. Sana starting March 1, 2021 para i-address po yung hunger or yung mataas na antas ng mga Pilipino pong nagugutom,” NEDA Chief Karl Kendrick Chua said.

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