The Marcos administration expressed confidence in the success of its plans for improving the lives of Filipinos, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said on Wednesday.

During the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development’s (DEPDev) 90th anniversary celebration, Recto said that while previously, poverty incidence in the country was at 23.5 percent, it has since been reduced to 15.5 percent—and the administration is determined to further lower that figure to the single digits by the end of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term in 2028, reported RH 14 Leth Narciso.

The secretary said this meant sending a million more children to school, ensuring a million more families had homes and a million more Filipinos would lead stable and secure lives.

Related to this, Recto recognized the DEPDev’s quiet yet valuable work, contributing to the progress of the nation. Their plans and policies, he said, affect the everyday living of Filipinos, such as the programs which sustain work, housing, infrastructure projects, and poverty reduction.