(Eagle News) – Malacanang said that the new record-high of 30.7 percent hunger incidence among Filipino families from July to September this year was a sad development, but is only temporary.
Palace spokesperson Harry Roque attributed this new record high of hunger incidence in the country was due to the lockdown and community quarantine protocols implemented by the government to prevent further spread of the COVID-19 virus in the past few months.
He said that President Rodrigo Duterte has called a full cabinet meeting next week specifically to address this problem after a presentation done by economic managers that showed how the pandemic has affected Filipino families nationwide
The number of families experiencing hunger reached a record high of 30.7 percent or an estimated 7.6 million households in the past three months, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
“Talaga pong nakakalungkot iyan. Although, inaasahan po natin na temporary iyan dahil nga po sa mga lockdown,” Roque said in a Palace press briefing on Tuesday, Oct. 6
He said that National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Karl Chua had done an extensive presentation on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic among Filipinos on Monday night, Oct. 5.
-Pres. Duterte calls full cabinet meeting to address problem-
He said that this was why President Duterte has called for a full cabinet meeting next Monday to address the situation.
Roque explained that among the options being studied is to open further the economy to address this economic and social problem.
“Tumaas po talaga ang pagkagutom, tumaas po iyong malnourishment ng ating mga kabataan at ito po ang dahilan niya kung bakit hinikayat nga po niya ang buong gobyerno na buksan pa lalo ang ating ekonomiya at importante na bigyan ng katugunan iyong kawalan ng transportasyon at ito po ang dahilan kung bakit nagpatawag po ang Presidente ng full cabinet meeting sa susunod na Lunes po, alas-kuwatro ng hapon para i-discuss pa po itong mga option para lalo pang buksan ang ekonomiya at bigyan ng kasagutan iyong kawalan ng transportasyon,” Roque explained.
(Eagle News Service)