National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Vice Chairperson for Basic Sector, Ruperto "Ka Uper" Aleroza, on Friday, Sept. 15 urged the society and government to include them in discussions related to poverty.

Aleroza, in a public briefing, conveyed a message to the government and society while discussing the recent Regional Sectoral Assembly (RSA) for Visayas Sectors held on Sept. 12.

"Our only appeal is that when poverty is discussed, it should always include us, involve us in those discussions from decision-making to implementation, as we always say, 'nothing about us, without us,' that is our call to both the citizens and our government," Aleroza said.

"As representatives of the impoverished in the 14th basic sector, we are aware that the government is making efforts to uplift our fellow citizens from poverty," he added.

NAPC's challenges

Meanwhile, Aleroza underscored the agency's challenges, including the impact of the pandemic and the ongoing cost inflation of basic needs.

"We face numerous challenges, and even though it's said that the pandemic's severity has lessened, the challenges persist for us in the basic sector,” he said. “We know that we remain vulnerable to such issues, especially the impoverished members of our society," he added.

Aleroza also explained how the continuous increase in the cost of living has a “significant impact” on the sector. 

“We are aware that the less fortunate among us cannot afford the high prices of necessities," he said.

Furthermore, Aleroza mentioned that NAPC’s goal is to lower the poverty rate as instructed by President Marcos.

"Our goal, from an 18 percent poverty rate, is to achieve a single-digit reduction in poverty," he said.

President Marcos, he mentioned has instructed the NAPC to identify the more disadvantaged rural areas and provide them with the necessary assistance.

“He [Marcos] also emphasized the need to engage and collaborate with local government units to find solutions to their poverty-related issues," he added.

RSA for Visayas Sectors

The RSA for Visayas Sectors took place in Cebu on Sept. 12 to consult local organizations as part of the preparations for the National Sectoral Assembly (NSA) in December.

"This aims to consult with local organizations as part of our preparation for the upcoming National Sectoral Assembly of the 14 basic sectors from Dec. 1 to 3 this year," Aleroza said.

He also mentioned that the attendees at the said meeting were approximately 300 leaders from three regions in Visayas, each representing their respective areas.

Meanwhile, the NPAC Vice Chairperson said that the RSA for Mindanao is scheduled from Sept. 20 to 21, with an expected attendance of 600 leaders from six different regions.

Luzon RSA, however, is scheduled for Sept. 27 to 28. Aleroza is anticipating a much larger number of attendees.

"We are expecting a larger number of attendees in Luzon because there are more regions in this area," he said.

"It is possible that around 1,000 leaders from various organizations will participate in the Luzon Regional Sectoral Assembly," he added.

Moreover, Aleroza emphasized that the "Magna Carta of the Poor" or the Republic Act (RA) No. 11291 and the corresponding formulation of the National Poverty Reduction Plan (NPRP) are the main objectives of these meetings.