The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday, May 8, urged local government units (LGUs) to step up the implementation of community-based poverty reduction efforts, stressing that local action remains central to cutting poverty down to the grassroots level.

The call formed part of the government’s broader “whole-of-nation” strategy to ensure that anti-poverty programs reached the most vulnerable sectors.

The agency underscored that LGUs served as the frontline in delivering targeted interventions through the Local Poverty Reduction Action Plans (LPRAPs). These plans were designed to translate national anti-poverty goals into concrete programs at the community level.

The DILG said the LPRAP functions as a key governance tool that guides LGUs in identifying priority needs in their respective areas. It also ensured that interventions were tailored to local conditions rather than imposed through a one-size-fits-all approach.

The agency explained that the challenge now lies in translating these plans into funded programs and policies at the local level. It said this would allow LGUs to deliver measurable improvements for disadvantaged and underserved communities.

“Poverty reduction cannot be achieved by the national government alone. Strong and responsive local governments remain crucial in ensuring that programs reach the communities that need them most and that no Filipino is left behind,” the DILG said.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. earlier maintained that poverty reduction remained achievable despite economic pressures brought by global energy and oil price fluctuations.

He said the national government would continue expanding social safety nets to help Filipino families cope with rising costs and protect vulnerable sectors.

The DILG said its coordination with LGUs was aligned with this directive, noting that sustained local participation was essential to meeting national poverty reduction targets.

To strengthen implementation, the DILG and the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) signed a Joint Memorandum Circular aimed at harmonizing local initiatives with the national target of reducing poverty incidence to nine percent by 2028.

The agreement was intended to align grassroots planning with national priorities and improve coordination between agencies and local governments.

The DILG also committed to provide technical assistance and capacity-building programs to LGUs to help them craft and implement their respective LPRAPs more effectively.

As of recent monitoring, 195 LPRAP formulation workshops had been conducted across nine focus provinces. These included Romblon, Leyte, Northern Samar, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Dinagat Islands.

The agency added that orientation seminars had already been completed in all 82 provinces between 2023 and 2024. These sessions were aimed at strengthening local capacity in planning, coordination, and execution of anti-poverty programs.

The DILG said these efforts had received positive feedback from stakeholders, particularly for encouraging participation from marginalized sectors in local development planning.

It added that community involvement remained a critical factor in ensuring that interventions were responsive and inclusive.

The agency said the success of the poverty reduction strategy would depend largely on how effectively LGUs integrated planning, budgeting, and implementation at the local level, as the government pushed toward its 2028 target.