- 30 - 98. The Committee recommends that the Government seek to ensure a gradual increase in the minimum wage, which should take account of Portugal’s economic growth and the inflation rate, with the object of increasing the purchasing power of those living on the minimum wage. 99. The Committee urges the State party to continue its efforts to guarantee the right to housing for the most vulnerable groups, through improved sanitation and rehabilitation of dwellings which are insanitary or lack minimum basic services. 100. The Committee recommends that the Government take measures with a view to encouraging registration in secondary and higher education and to facilitate access to secondary and higher levels of education for persons from lower-income families. PHILIPPINES 101. The Committee considered the initial report of the Philippines on articles 10 to 12 of the Covenant (E/1986/3/Add.17) at its 11th, 12th and 14th meetings on 8 and 9 May 1995 and, at its 29th meeting on 19 May 1995, adopted the following concluding observations. A. Introduction 102. The Committee welcomes the appearance before it of a delegation composed mostly of experts from the capital, and the opportunity to engage in a dialogue with the Government. 103. The Committee notes with regret that no written answers to the list of issues it had raised were given in advance, and that only limited written information was made available to the Committee during the session in response to its requests. Partly as a result, some of the questions raised during the discussion were not answered satisfactorily by the delegation. B. Positive aspects 104. The Committee welcomes the fact that some of the rights guaranteed by the Covenant have been reflected in the Constitution and in domestic legislation. It also notes with appreciation the frankness with which the delegation acknowledged the existence of various problems, as identified in section D below. 105. The Committee also welcomes the fact that a government policy of land distribution exists in the country and that a start has been made with programmes to relocate some evicted and homeless people. The Committee also welcomes the Government’s commitment to increase the amount of public expenditure devoted to the housing sector. 106. The Committee notes that efforts are being made by the Government in order to deal with the AIDS pandemic, with the active participation of WHO.