Key social legislation that was once ignored or denied has now been passed.
These laws, such as the Universal Access to Free Tertiary Education (R.A. 10931), Universal Health Care (R.A.11223), Institutionalizing the 4Ps (R.A.11310) and the Magna Carta for the Poor (R.A. 11291), and even the Sagip Saka program for our farmers and free irrigation act constitute laws that are good for the poor.
These laws establish the belief within government that no one should be left behind as the country progresses toward being a middle income country.
More importantly, it crystallizes a governmental and taxpayer commitment to reduce poverty from the current 21% to what we hope to be 15% by the end of 2022. We have a lot of catching up to do to reach Indonesia’s 10-12%.
Of course, many, even some partylist groups, surprisingly frown on the 4Ps program. The truth is that what it did was diminish the hold of rebel groups in the hinterlands where more than half of them are found.
After all, the measly amounts offered by rebel groups pale in comparison to the consistent cash and other benefits of the 4Ps, plus the training and integration it offers. While there have been successful families weaned away, many families still remain beneficiaries.
Nonetheless, the keystone benefit is that the children of these families are now in school, which will allow their succeeding generations a ticket out of persistent extreme poverty and hunger.
We say keystone because it will set into motion a lot of change within the poor family. When once they did not attend school, now they do.
Many economist friends assert that we cannot allow poverty reduction to simply be a fringe benefit of a booming economy, and a rising market.
Deliberate programs will be needed to bring them into our growth.
Owing to the the way our economy is structured, and negative and dismissive attitudes towards them getting the poor to participate in growth will require deliberate pump priming. This, coupled with infrastructure development, will allow them access to the economy.
Think about poor families in the hinterlands that for a long time were unable to plant highland vegetables , and had no road to bring the produce to market.
With new roads and the programs to fund vegetable production, their entry into markets will now be stronger.
This is inclusion. We hope and pray that the benefits continue.
Because the real benefit of inclusion is a more robust economy, where a larger middle class with the need to grow and the capacity to spend can drive consumption that, in turn, spur economic activity that creates jobs and replicates and strengthens the middle class further.
A broader middle class creates and inspires choice. If our economic managers are correct, we will hit middle income status by the end of 2019.
This larger middle class due to reduced poverty will strengthen our economy even more. Its how our neighbors grew. This is the greatest legacy we can leave to the next generation.
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