Senatorial candidate Atty. Jayvee Hinlo of PDP-Laban stressed that long-term poverty reduction in the Philippines hinges on job creation—not continued reliance on government cash assistance or “ayuda.”
Speaking at a campaign rally in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, Hinlo emphasized the need for the government to focus on generating employment opportunities. “What the country truly needs is work and a government committed to creating jobs,” he said.
Without naming names, the Visayan lawyer criticized traditional politicians who, he argued, use ayuda programs to maintain voter dependence instead of enabling economic self-sufficiency. He challenged voters to break the cycle of electing the same lawmakers who haven’t improved their lives.
Hinlo claimed that some politicians avoid real solutions like job creation because self-sufficient citizens wouldn’t rely on them anymore. “They don’t want you to rise out of poverty because they know that once you do, you won’t need them,” he said.
The message comes amid survey results showing that 55% of Filipinos still consider themselves poor. While most respondents see value in programs like 4Ps, TUPAD, AICS, and the Walang Gutom Program, Hinlo argues that a job-based approach would offer more lasting benefits.