Image Credit: Reuters via The Lancet
For low-income families, budgeting for their daily household needs does not come easy. Add to that the dilemma of getting sick, and a large chunk of that budget goes down the drain. Because of poverty, some people could not even afford treatment and are not able to comply with the prescribed medications just to save money for other essentials. Hence, their disease progresses to a worse stage that is more costly.
MANILA, Philippines - Recognizing this, the House Committee on Poverty Alleviation, backed by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), is pushing for the passage of bills that aim to lower the prices of medicines along with other poverty reduction measures.
According to the Committee on Poverty Alleviation chairman Rep. Mikee Romero of 1-Pacman party-list, these other measures include the following: Rental Housing Subsidy Bill, National Land Use Act, Pandemic Resiliency Bill, Young Farmer and Fisherfolk Challenge Program, Unified System of Separation, Retirement and Pension, and institutionalization of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
"With the support of the Speaker, we will work on the passage of the proposed laws recommended to the committee by NEDA. These measures are key to achieving the objectives of the eight-point socio-economic development agenda of the Marcos administration," Romero said.
The NEDA has submitted its proposals to the committee in November.
According to NEDA, the pandemic has resulted in the loss of jobs, which in turn contributed to increased poverty incidence in the country as the underemployment percentage expanded while unemployment rate jumped.
Romero noted that resumption of economic activities across all sectors in the country is vital for recovery as it "will lead to the restoration and creation of employment opportunities and income for our people."
"Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have." - Winston Churchill.
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