Marking her first 100 days in office, Vice President Leni Robredo, making good of her campaign promise to prioritize those in the “laylayan” (fringes of the society), led a gathering of representatives from the public and private sectors and international community who pledged support for the government’s anti-poverty programs for the country’s 50 poorest cities and municipalities.

Over a thousand representatives of the Office of the Vice President’s partner agencies attended the “Angat Buhay” partnerships against poverty summit at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on Monday.

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Robredo’s main takeaway from her trips was: “[P]overty is the root cause of many Filipino families’ suffering. Poverty is a larger war that needs our focus and attention.”

In her speech, Robredo said the poverty summit was the product of her “laylayan trips” when she and her handful of staff went around the “poorest of the poor” communities around the country to consult them about their needs.

“Instead of waiting for them to tell government what they needed, your government went to them. I promised to do this during the inauguration, so our lean team rode bancas and walked on rice paddies. We hiked mountains and we waded through water. Best of all, we listened. We learned many things,” Robredo said.

Robredo’s main takeaway from her trips was: “[P]overty is the root cause of many Filipino families’ suffering. Poverty is a larger war that needs our focus and attention.”

“Women are disenfranchised. The small farmers, fisherfolk, and laborers who produce our country’s food are ironically the ones who are hungry and lack proper nutrition. They do not earn enough to meet their families’ basic needs,” Robredo added.

The Vice President noted that poverty “claims lives of pregnant women who do not have access to proper health care, causes irreversible stunting in the first 1,000 days of children, forcing them to suffer for the rest of their lives.”

This amid the Duterte administration’s bloody war against drugs and criminality, which has taken the lives of more than 3,000 suspected drug users and pushers.

“Poverty undermines millions of children’s capacity to absorb knowledge and skills that are crucial for gainful employment and livelihood. It has pushed our people, young and old, to take or sell drugs, and commit all forms of crimes. It disempowers and erodes the dignity of the majority of our people, especially in the remote rural areas and the congested urban informal settlements,” Robredo said.

“Women are disenfranchised. The small farmers, fisherfolk, and laborers who produce our country’s food are ironically the ones who are hungry and lack proper nutrition. They do not earn enough to meet their families’ basic needs,” Robredo added.

In Metro Manila, only Marikina City qualified in the first batch of partner local government units. The rest are: Dagupan City, Pangasinan; Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija; San Jose del Monte City and Doña Remedios Trinidad in Bulacan; Mulanay, Quezon; Taysan, Batangas; Calauan, Laguna; Pola and Lubang in Oriental Mindoro; Sta. Cruz, Occidental Mindoro; Culion and Agutaya in Palawan; Bulan, Sorsogon; Tinambac, Camarines Sur; Lambunao, Iloilo; San Remigio, Cebu; Panglao, Valencia, and Maribojoc in Bohol; Hernani, Salcedo and Balangkayan in Eastern Samar; Gandara, Western Samar; Leyte City and Baybay City in Leyte; Siayan and Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte; Pagadian City and Dumingag Zamboanga del Sur; Zamboanga City; Kauswagan and Tangkal in Lanao del Norte; Manolo Fortich, Sumilao and Lantapan in Bukidnon; Montevista and New Bataan in Compostela Valley; Tampakan, South Cotabato; Santiago, Agusan del Norte; Loreto and Veruela in Agusan del Sur; Loreto, Dinagat Loreto; Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental; Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental; Kiangan and Tinog in Ifugao; South Upi, Maguindanao; Marawi City, Lanao del Sur; Lamitan City and Sumisip in Basilan.

The poverty summit is still ongoing. CBB/rga

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