“The true test of progress is how you take care of the most vulnerable. Ang hirap pag-usapan yung upper middle class, yung numbers, when we know that there are still millions who live in poverty,” Senator Pia S. Cayetano underscored as she presided over the hearing on the proposed 2026 budgets of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), its attached and supervised agencies, and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
As Senior Vice Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, Cayetano stressed that while government often highlights economic targets such as attaining upper middle-income status, genuine development is measured by how the poorest sectors are cared for.
She added that the hearing provides an opportunity for legislators to work with the DSWD to ensure resources directly address the needs of Filipinos who depend on social protection programs. “It’s our job to help DSWD perform its mandate well,” she told Secretary Rex Gatchalian and his team.
Tag: NCIP
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Photo Release: Sen. Pia presides over hearing on DSWD’s proposed 2026 budget