San Jose, Antique (19 October) -- In support to the worldwide movement against poverty, the Provincial Government of Antique joined the United Nations "Stand Up" campaign during the launching of the Children's Month Celebration on October 16, 2006.

"The launching of the Children's Month celebration is a fitting event to launch Stand Up campaign against poverty since children are most vulnerable to suffer from hunger, malnutrition and other effects of poverty", said Juliana O. Cepe, Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator.

A Universal Prayer for eradication of poverty opened the celebration at the new capitol building with children in the frontline expressing their rights as stated in the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, reported Cepe.

Earlier, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo vowed to stamp out poverty and give better living conditions to Filipinos in which the Philippines is also aiming to set a world record for the most number of people standing up against this social malaise.

Nileema Noble, United Nations resident representative, said the ceremony in Malacañang on Monday signified the country's participation in this worldwide campaign and in the Millenium Development Goals (MDG). She said the target was for one million Filipinos from different parts of the country to stand up simultaneously in the fight against poverty.

But more than the world record, Arroyo said she wanted to break the cycle of leaders making promises without turning them into reality.

"We are aiming for a record for the most number of people who will stand up simultaneously to demand action against poverty," said Arroyo in Filipino, reading from the "Pledge Against Poverty."

The President also said leaders should not just sit and do nothing while children born to poor families live 30 years shorter than children born to well-off families. "Now is the time to end this heartbreaking reality. Let us all stand up to ask for justice and not for pity," she said.