BIG PICTURE OF POVERTY: Large slabs of concrete lie exposed in the center of Manggahan Floodway in Pasig City under hot weather. These are normally submerged in the wet season.
INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON
Ending poverty should not be seen as a competition as no one has the monopoly of intention to address one of the long-standing problems in the country.
The camp of Vice President Leni Robredo issued this statement after allies of President Duterte criticized her for 鈥減laying good girl鈥� to international donors and foreign countries 鈥渄ictating鈥� the Philippines.
鈥淭he OVP believes that ending poverty should not be seen as a competition, but a collaboration of all capable parties,鈥� Georgina Hernandez, Office of the Vice President spokesperson, said in a statement聽on Wednesday.
鈥淣obody has the monopoly of good intentions, the desire to serve the public, and models of how to address poverty,鈥� she said.
鈥淭here should be no limit to generosity and helping, and everyone should find it in themselves to contribute to the bigger fight. We must remember that at the end of this dark tunnel of poverty is not the glorification of any individual or group, but the empowerment of the Filipino family,鈥� Hernandez added.
Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao, a member of the progressive Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives, criticized Robredo for not sharing President Duterte鈥檚 鈥渧ision for an independent country鈥� and likened her extending hospitality to foreign donors to former President and partymate Benigno Aquino III.
Casilao also accused Robredo of 鈥渦surping鈥� the mandate of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), an agency led by former Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza of Makabayan.
During the 鈥淎ngat Buhay鈥� antipoverty summit Robredo鈥檚 office organized last Monday, the Vice President said poverty was the country鈥檚 larger war that needs more focus and attention amid the government鈥檚 bloody war on drugs.
Hernandez said the Angat Buhay, a comprehensive anti-poverty framework and initiative by the Office of the Vice President, is 鈥渙ne of the many effective solutions to build our nation.鈥�
鈥淥ur desire is to start working and concretizing solutions and to complement the efforts of this administration,鈥� she said.
Robredo鈥檚 camp maintained that poverty is 鈥渁 big and complex issue that has been the bane of our country, if not the world.鈥�
鈥淭he urgency of the problem cannot be overstated. It goes beyond one鈥檚 political ideology,鈥� Hernandez said.
鈥淚t requires governments to recognize their limitations. It requires all of us to go beyond self-interest, because having all hands on board should be the order of the day,鈥� she added.
Addressing poverty was Robredo鈥檚 main campaign promise, vowing to focus on those improving the lives of those in the 鈥渓aylayan鈥� or the margins of the society.
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