POVERTY ALLEVIATION
September 20, 2009

The poor shall be the primary beneficiaries of social amelioration programs and basic services particularly those which will enhance living standards and the opportunities for advancement through their honest efforts. These programs should be administered as package of incentives rather than dole outs. Agrarian reforms must be actualized to ensure that productive elements of the agricultural sector are given genuine liberation and be the nucleus for rural development. Government health programs shall give priority to generally accessible primary health care, responsible parenthood, basic sanitation and nutrition with main emphasis on eliminating infant mortality and malnutrition and the provision of socially priced health services and medicines. Shelter and livelihood opportunities shall be made available only to those who are willing to work for these. Tax breaks and other benefits can be extended to the working poor. Labor’s share in the fruits of development must be improved. Cooperativism in agriculture and in the small and medium scale industries should be pursued with government encouragement and support particularly in forms of facilitating access to credit, technology and market development.