The increasing COVID-19 cases in the past 12 months led more than half of Filipinos to feel that their life got worse, an economist and president of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) said Wednesday.
In the September 2021 poll, Social Weather Stations (SWS) found that 57% of adult Filipinos believed that their quality of life worsened a year ago, while 13% said it got better, and 29% said it stayed the same.
PLM president Emmanuel Leyco expressed alarm and worry for the country as more than half of the Filipinos revealed that their quality of life deteriorates.
“Lubhang nakakagambala na 57% ang nagsasabi na hindi bumuti, in fact sinasabi nila na sumama ang kanilag kalagayan sa panahon na sila ay nasurvey noong September,” Leyco said in an interview with GTV’s Balitanghali.
(It is very disturbing that 57% of Filipinos say that their lives have not improved, in fact they say their condition worsened by the time they were surveyed in September.)
“Ito ay marahil dulot na rin ng napakaraming kaso ng COVID-19 ng mga panahon na ‘yun kaya po hindi nakakagulat na ang talagang pakiramdam ng mga mamamayan ay talagang lumubha ang kanilang kalagayan,” he added.
(This is probably also caused by the many cases of COVID-19 during those times, so it is not surprising that the people really feel that their situation has really worsened.)
The highest recorded number of new cases in September was more than 27,000.
Meanwhile, Leyco bared that if the oil price hike continues it will also affect the price of the basic necessities.
“Ang presyo ng mga gasoline kasabay po niyan umaakyat din ang presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin dahil lahat naman ng pangangailangan natin ay iniluluwas, hindi naman pwedeng bumili diyan lang sa labas ng bahay at nandyan na ang mga pangangailangan natin,” the PLM president said.
(At the same time, the price of gasoline also increases the price of basic commodities because all our needs are transported, it is not like we just go outside the house and the goods are already there.)
He expects the inflation to go up next month because of the increase in the prices of petroleum products.
“Ang mga suppliers dinadala sa Maynila ang kanilang mga gulay, produkto at marami sa atin ang binibili sa groceries ay imported na rin kaya po magkakaroon ito ng malaking epekto sa ating inflation aasahan natin yan next month,” he added.
(The suppliers bring their vegetables, products to Manila and many of us also buy imported products in groceries so it will have a big impact on our inflation. We expect that next month.)
He said this must be resolved as it will lead to many Filipinos experiencing hunger in the upcoming holiday season.
“Wag naman sana mangyari pero ngayon palang nakikita natin malawakang kagutuman ang idudulot nito kung hindi na talaga kayang bilhin ng mga mamamayan ang mga pangunahing pangangailangan nila,” Leyco said.
(I hope it doesn’t happen but now we could see widespread hunger for the people who can no longer afford to buy their basic needs.)
“Malawakang kagutuman ‘yan sa akin, ang palagay kong dapat abatan natin yung mga inflation statistics ang katumbas niyan ay gutom sa mga mahihirap,” he added.
(That’s a widespread hunger for me, I think we should keep up with the inflation statistics, the equivalent of that is hunger for the poor.)
Pump prices of petroleum products hiked for the ninth straight week on Tuesday, with year-to-date increases already close to P20.00 per liter.
Latest data available from the Department of Energy (DOE) show that year-to-date adjustments stand at a total net increase of P19.65 per liter for gasoline, P18.00 per liter for diesel, and P15.49 per liter for kerosene as of October 19, 2021.—AOL, GMA News
Increase in COVID-19 cases led Filipinos to feel quality of life deteriorated, says PLM president
Source: Pinoy Hub News
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