BAGUIO CITY – The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) conducted a one-day orientation-seminar on the Magna Carta of the Poor and the Local Poverty Reduction Action Plan for Mountain Province (MP) on August 13, 2024.
Participants were basic sector representatives, local planners, agriculturists, social welfare officers, health care providers, and municipal local government operation officers. These diverse group fostered a collaborative atmosphere of knowledge sharing and discussions that are essential for effective poverty alleviation planning.
The activity aimed to empower the participants by equipping them with the knowledge of Republic Act No. 11291 or the Magna Carta of the Poor, and its implementing rules and regulations, and guiding the concerned entities in the preparation of their Local Poverty Reduction Action Plan (LPRAP) and National Poverty Reduction Action Plan (NPRAP).
The Magna Carta of the Poor mandates the government to help in the attainment of the five fundamental rights of the poor, namely, the right to adequate food, decent work, relevant and quality education, adequate housing, and the highest attainable standard of health. These rights are essential for the poor to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty.
NAPC Deputy Director General, Undersecretary Esnaen Catong led the orientation-seminar for key officials and basic sector representatives of the ten municipalities of MP. Catong said that the activity is part of the nationwide orientation-seminar being conducted in all provinces in preparation for the crafting of the NPRAP.
Undersecretary Catong also lauded the collaborative efforts of the government agencies in combating poverty. He emphasized the importance of RA 8425 in establishing the NAPC and the current administration’s whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach to poverty reduction. He emphasized that the LPRAPs are crucial for poverty alleviation as it aims to maximize resources through progressive realization.
Catong further stressed the need to capitalize the country’s economic growth to fund human development programs and uplift the lives of Filipinos and also the need to consult with the various local government units and other stakeholders at the grassroots before crafting the NPRAP.
“Local government units play a crucial role in the formulation of the Local Poverty Reduction Action Plan in the Cordillera Administrative Region and reiterated the importance of harmonizing the programs of national government agencies and local government units to maximize their impact on poverty alleviation,” Catong said.
In his opening remarks, Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. expressed his appreciation to the NAPC for spearheading the activity. He underscored the need for similar activities within the province to better understand local issues.
In addition, Lacwasan expressed his hope that the orientation would offer valuable insights into the province’s poverty situation, aiding in the development of effective strategies to address these issues.
As baseline in crafting the LPRAP of each municipality of MP, Planning Officer Berfre O. Panyo gave an overview of the province’s poverty situation. He also discussed the alignment of the Provincial Development Physical Framework Plan to the Local Poverty Reduction Action Plan and how it is being integrated in the plan.
A thorough presentation on how to situate and integrate the PRAP in the local development plans of each municipality was further discussed and presented by Lourdes Claire Peel from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Meanwhile, Basic Sector Council Member Lynn Madalang extended her felicitation to the NAPC family for their initiative and effort in conducting the orientation-seminar with the MP government officials.
“Our presence in this activity is a testament of our commitment to combat or if not to totally eradicate poverty in our province, to reduce the incidence of poverty in our respective municipalities. May this activity be the jump-start of our efforts to improve the living condition of our people with the aim of uplifting our economic status,” Madalang said. By Hail, MP
