Press Release
September 22, 2007

LOREN PUSHES BILL FOR ESTABLISHING
TRAINING CENTERS IN ALL BARANGAYS

Sen. Loren Legarda pushed for the enactment of her bill establishing barangay livelihood and skills training centers in every rural barangay during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Social Justice and Rural Development last September 19.

Resource persons from various government departments also expressed support for Loren's bill, Senate Bill No. 1087.

The bill seeks to address the problem of rural poverty by providing an institutionalized livelihood and skills training assistance to all rural barangays. Loren suggested that once the bill is enacted into law, priority should be given to the ten poorest provinces in its implementation.

During the hearing, Loren commended the initiatives and programs of the various government departments, such as the departments of trade and industry, agriculture and health for targeting poverty-alleviation and job-creating programs in the rural areas.

She however cited the need for these programs to be promoted more aggressively and to disseminate more information about their services so that more and more people in the rural areas, particularly the poor, can benefit from such programs.

However, she noted that the programs of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) have not been fully implemented because the people's Development Trust fund, which was supposed to finance the NAPC's projects, has not been fully appropriated.

"I would like to look into this, especially since the trust fund is supposed to source its financing from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), which is said to be tainted with fraud in its many activities," said Loren.

She also expressed elation over reports that the vegetable malunggay is now being propagated all over the country, thus providing the poor with nutrients which supplement the food they eat and provide a lot of nourishment.

In her bill, Loren provided that the center shall offer support programs for unemployed men and women and out-of-school youth belonging to the most indigent families in the barangay as determined by the barangay and municipal or city governments concerned.

In particular the centers will provide skills training services, livelihood development skills, social communication skills, self-enhancement skills community participation skills.

The centers shall be assisted by the Department of Labor and Employment, Interior and Local Government, Health and Agriculture.

The Department of Interior and Local Governments shall set aside a portion of its annual appropriations for the operation and maintenance of the centers, while the Department of Labor and Employment shall render technical training and assistance, Loren explained.

Loren proposed that it be declared a policy of the state to aim for "the diffusion and more equitable distribution of opportunities, income and wealth and that an expanding productivity is the key to the enhancement of the quality of life for all, especially the underprivileged.

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