TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The National Anti Poverty Commission (NAPC) held an orientation-seminar on RA 11291 (Magna Carta of the Poor) and Local Poverty Reduction Action Plan (LPRAP) on August 15 at M Hotel.
This activity presented the salient features of the law, and intends to capacitate the participants on the formulation of the LPRAP based on the local poverty situation.
RA 11291 strengthens all interventions for the Filipino poor, vulnerable, marginalized, and disadvantaged sectors in society, seeking to ensure that the poor are granted ready access to government services and that the private sector are enjoined to invest in poverty alleviation programs.
Governor James Edduba, in his message said, see the LPRAP serves as a blueprint of action to address major issues concerning education, food, housing and health to uplift the living condition of the people.
The governor cited that from 12.1% poverty incidence in 2021, the province dropped its poverty incidence to 6.3% in 2023. Kalinga has a poverty incidence of 26.6% in 2015, he noted.
Edduba also said that the average monthly income for a family of five members in Kalinga should be atleast P14,540.00 to meet food web weed and non-food needs.
NAPC Sec. Lope Santos III, in a video message said it is the priority of the national and local government units to meet the development needs of its constituents primarily on education, health, employment and housing based on the results of the Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS).
USec. Esnaen Catong, Deputy Director General of NAPC emphasized that it is the target of the national government to reduce poverty from 18.1% to a single digit, in the context of the Magna Carta of the Poor and the LPRAP.
He added that although the Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, there is a need for convergence and unity to end poverty and the challenges that stem around it.
Catong also spoke about the concept of progressive realization in relation to the law which refers to the obligation of the government to progressively work towards the full implementation of the rights and provisions outlined in the law. It acknowledges that the government may not be able to immediately fulfill all its obligations due to resource constraints. Instead, it requires the government to take deliberate, concrete and targeted steps towards achieving development.
From the national poverty incidence of 18.1% in 2021, the Marcos administration targets to reduce the incidence rate to 9% by the year 2028, as mentioned in his State of the Nation Address, Catong pointed out in his presentation.
The provincial poverty situation was also presented during the meeting.
For the first semester of 2021, the poverty threshold per family per month was P12,920.00, and in 2023 it increased to P14,540.00. This leaves a P10,155.00 target food threshold to enable a family with five members to meet basic food needs.
The orientation-seminar was attended by representatives from the different offices of the PLGU and the eight local government units. By Darwin S. Serion
