The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) referring to the fact that about half of the total population of the Filipino families are poor, on Monday urged the public to work together to combat poverty as the church continued its national anti-poverty outreach programme.
The programmed is being held with the purpose of providing “real, doable and concrete assistance” to members of local communities throughout the country.
INC general auditor Glicerio B Santos Jr, said the church’s Lingap Pamamahayag programme distributed more than 20,000 goodie packs and 15,000 pieces of clothing to residents of Brgy. Zulueta, Nueva Ecija, and some 1,200 goodie packs in Antipolo City Jail, consistent with the directives of Executive Minister Bro. Eduardo V Manalo to step up the INC’s efforts to assist the poor.
“While we recognise that self-rated poverty may have gone down through the efforts of the government, when half of families nationwide say they are poor, something must be done,” said Santos.The SWS survey in the fourth quarter of 2015 on self-rated poverty, indicated that 50% of Filipino families consider themselves poor, bringing the yearly average to 50%. This is four points below the 2014 average of 54%.
The survey, which was conducted from December 5 to 8, 2015 among 1,200 adult respondents nationwide, also revealed that 33% of families consider themselves food-poor – a two-point drop compared to last September’s 35%.
In light of these statistics, Santos said the INC believes that “this is the challenge of the times: to set aside our differences, our agendas and to do what has to be done to help our countrymen, instead of just talking about it.”