Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano called on the government and local communities to work together to support Filipinos in need, warning that many families could face even greater hardship in the months leading up to Christmas if the economy continues to weaken.
In an online broadcast, the Minority Leader said he hopes the country’s economic situation will not deteriorate further as it nears the final quarter of the year.
Cayetano said the government must deliver essential public services and ensure public funds are properly spent, but stressed that helping those in need is a shared responsibility and should not rest on the government alone.
“Huwag tayong magturo kaagad na ‘trabaho ng gobyerno ‘yan.’ I-include rin natin ang ating sarili.”
“When we say, ‘whose job is it?’ huwag tayong magturo kaagad na ‘trabaho ng gobyerno ‘yan.’ I-include rin natin ang ating sarili kasi the more na we think as a community, as a bigger family, the more na makakaraos tayo,” the veteran legislator said.
The seasoned lawmaker also encouraged Filipinos not to lose faith in one another and to continue helping each other despite the challenges facing the country.
‘Yung responsibility natin, hindi lang sa [ating] sarili at pamilya, nandun din sa ating community.”
“Let’s not give up on people because God did not give up on us. ‘Yung responsibility natin, hindi lang sa [ating] sarili at pamilya, nandun din sa ating community. If we help each other, the government [also] can help those who cannot help themselves,” the senator said.
He also called for unity despite political differences and emphasized that Filipinos should continue working together while holding the government accountable for delivering effective services.
“We can have different views on certain things, but [we can] still act like family,” he said.
“Let’s demand from the government to give their best [so that] we [can] get the best from the government,” Cayetano concluded.
