MANILA, Philippines – The Marcos administration will strengthen support for the middle class and protect 6.5 million Filipinos who have been lifted out of poverty from falling back, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said.
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| Photo courtesy: Facebook/Bongbong Marcos |
Recto said the government will focus on creating more jobs, increasing incomes, and reducing living costs to sustain the country’s gains in poverty reduction.
“That is the marching order of the President: Support the middle class and prevent 6.5 million Filipinos from sliding back into the zone of poverty,” Recto said.
The announcement came after poverty incidence fell from 15.5% in 2023 to 9.7% in 2025, reducing the number of poor Filipinos from 17.5 million to 11 million.
The decline brought the country three years ahead of its goal of reducing poverty to single digits by 2028, but Recto stressed that the achievement is not the finish line.
“Ang susunod nating hamon ay siguraduhing tuloy-tuloy ang pag-angat nila. Hindi na muling babalik sa kahirapan ang mga nakaahon na, at dadami ang makakaahon pa. At mas protektahan pa natin ang ating middle class,” he added.
Recto warned that the unresolved Middle East crisis and climate disruptions could still threaten fuel and food prices, trade, employment, and economic growth.
To address these risks, the administration plans to fast-track high-impact infrastructure projects that can generate jobs, stimulate local economies, reduce logistics costs, and attract investments.
The government is also pursuing measures to increase household purchasing power, including raising the annual personal income tax exemption to P350,000, potentially freeing up to P17,500 per worker each year.
Other proposed measures include exempting small businesses from the Minimum Corporate Income Tax, granting a general tax amnesty, and abolishing the travel tax.
The administration is likewise seeking amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act to prevent system-loss charges from being passed on to ordinary consumers.
It is also pushing the Sariling Kuryente Act to make household solar and battery systems simpler, more accessible, and less costly to install.
Recto said the government will continue price-stability measures and targeted assistance, including Expanded UPLIFT and the Bawat Bayan Makikinabang Rice Program.
He added that investments in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and the expanding artificial intelligence and digital economy will help create jobs and opportunities.
Recto said these efforts form part of a broader strategy to reduce poverty while building a larger, stronger, and more resilient Filipino middle class.
— The Summit Express
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