MANILA: The National Anti-Poverty Commission on Wednesday highlighted the crucial role of local government units (LGUs) in the poverty alleviation efforts of the national government.

In a statement, NAPC said this was emphasized during the orientation of various local government units from the National Capital Region (NCR) on the Magna Carta of the Poor (MCP), and formulation of the Local Poverty Reduction Action Plans (LPRAP) in Quezon City last March 20.

The MCP mandates the government to help in the attainment of the five fundamental rights of the poor – 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 from the intergenerational cycle of poverty. LGUs have a crucial role in the formulation of the LPRAP, and harmonizing the programs of National Government Agencies (NGAs). And LGUs are important to maximize their impact on poverty alleviation,’ NAPC Secretary Lope Sant
os II said during the orientation.

The orientation is part of the preparations for the nationwide rollout of the MCP in 2025.

It also includes the continuation of MCP-LPRAP seminars in the NCR and the remaining provinces categorized under poverty incidence categories 1 and 2, as identified by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

NAPC-Local Affairs Coordinating and Monitoring Service Director Alexis Lapiz explained that the MCP-LPRAP identifies the distinct poverty characteristics of each locality through a bottom-up approach in the planning process.

In connection with this, Lapiz emphasized the importance of the active participation of basic sectors and civil society organizations in driving various development initiatives aimed at reducing poverty.

Various local government officials directly involved in work related to the MCP attended the orientation, including the City Social Planning Office and the City Social Welfare and Development Office.

Source: Philippines News Agency