Close to two and a half million Filipinos were lifted from poverty, as the country’s poverty rate significantly dropped to 15.5 percent last year from 18 percent in 2021, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Monday.

“Our poverty rate has significantly dropped to 15.5%,down from 18% in 2021. This present figure is even lower than the pre-pandemic level of 16.7% in 2018,” President Marcos said in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa.

“Ang katumbas nito ay halos dalawa’t kalahating milyong Pilipino ang naiangat natin mula sa kahirapan. Kasabay nito, nabawasan nang lagpas isang milyon at pitong daang libo ang bilang ng mga Pilipinong walang sapat na pambili ng pagkain,” he said.

The government will continue to exert effort to lift more Filipinos from poverty, the President said.

On the Philippines’ economic status and prospects, Marcos said that despite the headwinds the nation had faced, it stayed the course.

According to the President, the country exhibits healthy signs of post-pandemic resilience comparable to strong economies in the region.

And to sustain the nation’s economic gains, his government is promoting investment-led growth, and has set in motion policies and programs to create an environment conducive for businesses to thrive, like capital market reforms, and implementation of “green lanes.” PND