Instead of the government handing out benefits, former Senator Panfilo Lacson has proposed a solution to empower the poor: a cash-for-work program.

According to Lacson, the program will not only change people's lives but also increase their self-esteem.

The former senator made the proposal after supporting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s push for livelihood packages to improve the lives of poor families. Marcos had previously noted that Filipinos yearn for the opportunity to work for their families instead of depending on government charity.

“I can only agree,” Lacson wrote on Twitter, responding to the news report.