House panel approves proposed Magna Carta of the Poor

The House of Representatives has calendared for floor deliberation a measure

which seeks to uplift the standard of living and quality of life of the poor and provide
them with sustained opportunities for growth and development
House Bill 452! to be known as the "Magna Carta of the #oor!$ also targets to
achieve the %illennium &evelopment 'oal of eradicating e(treme poverty and hunger)
The bill was already approved by the *ommittee on #overty +lleviation chaired by
Rep) ,alvio -ortuno .5
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&istrict! *amarines ,ur/)
House Bill 452 is the substitute bill to HB 25 authored by Rep) Raul del %ar .0st
&istrict! *ebu *ity/! HB 452 by Rep) %arcelino Teodoro .0st &istrict! %arikina *ity/! HB
51 by Rep) 2rlinda ,antiago .#arty3list! 03,+'4#/ and HB 0564 by Rep) %a) 7ictoria
,y3+lvarado .0st &istrict! Bulacan/)
The bill provides that the government shall establish a system of progressive
reali8ation or implementation to provide the requirements! conditions and opportunities
for the full en9oyment of the five fundamental rights of the poor which include the right to
food! right to employment and livelihood! right to quality education! right to shelter and
the right to basic health services and medicines! which are essential requirements towards
poverty alleviation! del %ar said)
+ccording to &el %ar! the &epartment of ,ocial :elfare and &evelopment
.&,:&/ is directed to e(pand a program of subsidy to help the poor meet their minimum
food requirements)
"To ensure the implementation of the food assistance program! all food items and
food products! including rice! corn! sugar and other prime commodities! sei8ed and
forfeited with finality in favor of the government for violations of customs laws shall be
automatically transferred or turned over to the &,:& for proper disposition!$ &el %ar
said)
Teodoro said the &epartment of +griculture .&+/ and the local government units
.;'<s/ are tasked to develop plans and pro9ects to complement e(isting food subsidy
programs of the government so that the poor can engage in productive activities that
promote food self3sufficiency among the poor) The &+ shall also purchase the
agricultural produce of the poor farmers through its local buying stations)
<nder the measure! ,antiago said the &epartment of ;abor and 2mployment
.&=;2/ in coordination with development partners! the #residential *ommission for the
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JUNE 6, 2014
<rban poor .#*<#/ and the ;'<s! are mandated to ensure that the poor shall have access
to information regarding employment openings in private enterprises and in government
programs and pro9ects)
,antiago said the &=;2 and other concerned agencies are likewise tasked to
provide displaced families with referral to and information regarding available emergency
en9oyment opportunities in the community)
,y3+lvarado said the bill provides that thirty percent .5>?/ of the skilled labor
requirements of private contractors and subcontractors doing national and local public
work pro9ects funded by either the @ational 'overnment or any local government unit
must be filled by qualified workers who come from the poor sector and who are residents
of the ;'<s where these pro9ects are undertaken)
#rograms that promote livelihood among the poor shall be implemented by the
concerned government agencies with the participation of development partners and other
9uridical entities)
-urthermore! the bill provides for programs on sociali8ed college education to
the poor! including the student loans or study3now3pay3later plans)
-or the shelter of the poor! the measure seeks to develop and implement a well3
targeted and responsive subsidy scheme that will provide decent housing with the least
financial burden) This scheme shall ensure the security of tenure for the poor
beneficiaries)
The ;'<s shall ensure and promote the health of the populace by providing basic!
direct health services and shall develop and implement a system of free delivery of health
services and medicines to the poor)
The funding to be used for the implementation of this +ct shall be taken from the
e(isting anti3poverty appropriations of the different department and agencies
implementing pro3poor programs)
02 House members are co3authors of the bill including ,peaker -eliciano
Belmonte! Ar) .5>/ lvc