Iloilo City (4 October) -- Residents of Barangay San Roque in Malinao, Aklan will get a chance to dialogue with government officials and know the programs and projects intended for them to improve their quality of life during the Kalahi Community Day and Hinun-anon sa Barangay.

The activity on October 17, 2006 is being held in commemoration of the National Week for overcoming poverty with particular focus on this year’s theme “Crossing Over the Threshold: Focusing Against Poverty up to 2010”.

It will be recalled that Former President Fidel Ramos issued Proclamation No. 269 in l993 declaring October 17 of each year as the National Day for Overcoming Extreme Poverty. However, President Arroyo through Proclamation No. 717 expanded the observance to a week and declared October 17-23 of every year as the “National Week for Overcoming Extreme Poverty.”

The event is observed every year to “unite and gather the support of all sectors of society – national government agencies, local government units, civil society organization, private sector and the poor communities themselves to focus on the fight against extreme poverty.

The theme for this year was adopted to signify that the country is halfway through its timeline to achieve the ten point agenda of the administration, the poverty reduction goals and targets as contained in the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan as well as the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).