By Rose B. Palacio

Davao City (7 December) -- Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) Commissioner Luchie Salcedo has said that various strategies are being undertaken by the government to effectively fight poverty as one of the priority programs of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Projects of the pro-poor program of the Arroyo administration are in place anchored in her 10-point agenda prioritizing the need to advocate anti-poverty projects that will have direct impact on the poor, she said during an interview over the ARENA XI radio forum at DXRP anchored by Josette Olivera and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

The latest anti-poor project is the creation of the mega-regions by the President that would develop areas identified under these mega-regions.

In every region, the Kapit-bisig Laban sa Kahirapan (KALAHI) program has effectively implemented pro-poor projects by providing potable water supplies, livelihood and skills development projects, affordable dwellings in coordination with the local government units (LGUs), and access to credit capital by providing loans to small businessmen or SMEs), farmers and fishermen.

The President's poverty-alleviation policies have helped millions of Filipino families out of poverty over a period of five years under the Arroyo Administration's Medium-Term Development Plan.

For this year, the PCUP and the Department of Social Welfare and Development are spearheading the move as lead convenors of KALAHI in cooperation with stakeholders and partner agencies in both government and private entities. Both will continue to provide direct social services for the poor especially in depressed barangays, Commissioner Salcedo said.

The goal of reducing poverty incidence at 17 percent by the end of the decade is anchored on food abundance, more opportunities and job placements, and social security as envisioned by the Arroyo Administration, she further said.