MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano called on 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, Cayetano said he hoped the country's economic situation will not deteriorate further as it nears the final quarter of the year.
He said the government must deliver essential public services and ensure public funds are properly spent, but helping those in need is a shared responsibility and should not rest on the government alone.
"When we ask, 'Whose job is it?' let's not immediately point and say, 'That's the government's responsibility.' We should include ourselves too, because the more we think and act as a community—as one big family—the better our chances of getting through challenges together," he said.
The senator also called for unity despite political differences, stressing 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," Cayetano said.
"Let's demand from the government to give their best [so that] we [can] get the best from the government," he added.
Cayetano said acknowledging the country's problems is necessary because finding solutions begins with recognizing the truth.
"Truth is the beginning, the starting point," he said, as he also called on Filipinos to take an active role in nation-building, saying good governance must be matched by responsible citizenship.
"The government should always give the best. But we also have our responsibilities… As we demand the best from the government, we also have to demand that we be responsible as a community and ask ourselves what we can do," he said.
