ASAHAN na umano ang pagdami ng mga mahihirap na pamilya ngayong taon kasabay ng inaasahang pagtaas ng bilang ng mga walang trabaho sa bansa.
Ayon kay House Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero kailangan din na magsagawa ng bagong census upang matulungan ang mga nangangailangan dahil ang datos na ginagamit ngayon ng gobyerno ay batay pa sa census noong 2015.
“Sa tantya ko, babalik sa higit 20% ang poverty rate natin o higit 4 million families. Maaaring dumoble rin ang unemployment numbers. Kaya kailangan talaga mag-census ulit,” ani Romero.
Dapat din umanong i-recalibrate ng gobyerno ang Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) nito upang mas marami ang matulungan at maisama ang mga nawalan ng trabaho.
“The unemployment rate could double in the first and second quarters and perhaps the whole year, if we are unable to get people back to work through whatever COVID-19-safe means,” ani Romero.
Sinabi ni Romero na kailangan ng gobyerno ang 2020 Census upang makagawa ng mga akma na hakbang.
Sa Mayo nakatakdang isagawa ang 2020 Census. “It is also crucial the 2020 Census be conducted this year. It supposed to start on May 4, but given the current situation, it could be delayed, but it should not be postponed because Congress and the rest of government needs that census to properly decide on how to calibrate our COVID-19 measures and adjust the next national budgets accordingly.”
Sa gitna ng mga isyu kaugnay ng pamimili ng mga tutulungan, iminungkahi ni Romero na gamitin na lamang ang datos ng 2018 Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) ng Philippine Statistics Authority.
“DSWD and DOF can still remedy the situation by using the latest FIES and poverty data together with the 2015 Census but with adjustments for population growth, migration, and inflation. They can make new calculations and then release the needed funds for the additional families to be covered by the Social Amelioration Program,” saad ng solon.
Sa pamimili naman ng mga middle income earners, maaari umanong gamitin ang Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).
“The PIDS findings are quite detailed and can be used to come up with a rational estimate of how many lower middle class households there are in every city and town.”