Lacierda to Romualdez: Government doing everything to help poor

MANILA, Philippines – Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda yesterday lashed out at Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, who had expressed dismay over what he claimed was the insensitivity of government toward the poor.

 Lacierda cited the P75-billion conditional cash transfer allocation to about 20 million poor Filipinos, as well as the nearly 100 percent coverage of the Philippine Health Insurance as among the Aquino administration’s programs for the poor.

 “You tell me Martin Romualdez if that is not malasakit and don’t go out there saying that President Aquino does not show concern for his countrymen,” he said in the “Kaagapay ng Bayan” radio program over dzRB.

“Don’t go around propagandizing when you see government doing its job, expanding services to the public, especially to the poorest of the poor,” he added.

“Don’t go out there and say that this government does not care for its people. We have invested so much of government revenues,” Lacierda said.