Press Release
September 18, 2012

"MAGNA CARTA FOR THE POOR" TO STRENGTHEN PROVISION
OF SOCIAL SERVICES, SAFETY NETS FOR
POOR FILIPINOS - KIKO PANGILINAN

The Senate Committee on Social Justice and Rural Development, chaired by Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, convened on Tuesday morning to discuss the Magna Carta for the Poor, a measure that is aimed to bring more social services to impoverished Filipinos.

According to Pangilinan, "The Magna Carta for the Poor is meant to give the poor access to basic social services such as healthcare and medicines, public education, housing and the like. Our belief is that giving them equal access to these services will help level the playing field and empower more Filipinos to work toward a better future."

Among those covered by the Magna Carta as those defined as "poor", i.e., those living below the poverty threshold, and "basic sectors" such as farmers and fisherfolk, workers in the formal and informal sectors, indigenous peoples, and communities, persons with disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens, victims of calamities, children, and urban poor, among others.

"Pinangangalagaan ng Magna Carta ang karapatan ng bawa't Pilipino na magkaroon ng access sa mga serbisyong nararapat nilang makamtan bilang mamamayan. Hindi dapat ipagkait sa mga mahihirap ang karapatang makapag-aral, ang karapatang magkaroon ng sariling tirahan, ang karapatang magpagaling kapag sila ay maysakit, at iba pa. Pinoprotektahan nito ang kapakanan ng mga mahihirap na ang tanging masandalan na lamang ay ang batas at ang pamahalaan."

News Latest News Feed