Gov't vows to ease plight of poor

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The government reaffirmed today its commitment to improve the quality of life of Filipinos and ease the plight of the poor.

"The government remains committed to improving the overall quality of life of the Filipino by translating the gains of good governance into direct, immediate, and substantial benefits that will empower the poor and marginalized segments of society," said Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr.

Coloma noted that the government of Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III has allocated more than P1.4 trillion ($31.02 billion) for social and economic services in the 2014 national budget.

He made the statement after research institute Pulse Asia released the results of its December survey which revealed that 55 percent of Filipinos felt that the national quality of life deteriorated in 2013.

The survey also showed that 43 percent of Filipinos believe the quality of their daily life has deteriorated in the last 12 months.