MANILA, Philippines — The recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing that 79 percent of Filipinos think their lives worsened in the past year is a “cause of concern,” Malacañang said Friday as it vowed to mitigate the effects of the pandemic in people’s livelihoods. “The Social Weather Stations (SWS) National Mobile Phone Survey showing a big majority of Filipinos indicated that their quality of life got worse this year compared to a year ago is a cause of concern,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement. “The government’s priority Build, Build, Build programs have also started, subject to health and safety protocols, to create jobs and stimulate the economy,” Roque further noted. “We are guided by ‘ingat buhay’ (safeguards to life) para sa ‘hanapbuhay’ (livelihood) as we resolve to recover gradually,” he went on. Lockdown measures have been imposed in the country since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the enhanced community quarantine forcing non-essential businesses to close.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 14, 2020 07:52 UTC