Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban, lead convenor of the
National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), has
strengthened NAPC at the grassroots level by engaging
the Presidential Assistants (PAs) in its fight on
poverty.
Secretary Panganiban met with 14 Presidential
Assistants recently to map out plans to effectively
carry out the President’s anti-poverty programs in the
regional level.
Panganiban said every region in the country will have
its own NAPC lead convenor, to be represented by a PA,
to help the government’s poverty alleviation and
anti-hunger programs nationwide.
He said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has
approved funding support for regional PAs to
accelerate monitoring activities to ensure speedy
delivery of basic services to poor communities in all
regions.
The President instructed the Secretary to accelerate
monitoring of poor communities in priority provinces
to spread the benefits of improving economy.
According to Panganiban, the President would like the
economic gains to reach specific groups that need
immediate government actions to improve the living
conditions of poor communities at the grassroots.
The Presidential Assistants are:Mr. Thomas Kilip,CAR;
Dr.Enrie A. Mendoza II,PH.D,Region 1; Mr.Francis
Mamba,Region 2;Lorelei Fajardo,Region 3; Dir. Honorita
B. Bayudan,Region 4-A; Usec Alfredo E. Abueg
Jr.,Region 4-B; Tomasito B. Monzon,region 5;Raul
Banias,Region 6; Usec Felix G. Guanzon,region 7; Sec.
Victor A. Domingo, region 8; Mr.Ferdinand B.
Mahusay,region9,Pacifico Pupos,Jr.,region 10;Virgilio
Leyretana,region 11;Ms. Janet Lopoz,region 12.
Meanwhile, the Gawad Kalinga (GK), headed by Antonio
Meloto, collaborated with NAPC to help poor families
nationwide.
The alliance will help transform poverty in many parts
of the country by building homes for the homeless,
Panganiban said. GK is located in over 1500
communities all over the country, which main objective
is to build 700,000 homes until 2010.
For his part, Meloto said that he decided to ally with
NAPC because he is confident with anti-poverty ‘czar’
Panganiban, who has the integrity to help push a
strong partnership in helping the poor.
Panganiban was action officer for the Masagana 99
program in the 70s, who helped turned the most
disadvantaged corners of the country into zones of
opportunity and development. During that time, with
self-sufficiency in rice, the country exported rice
after many years of importation of the commodity.
JULY 2008
