WHEREAS, Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Presidential Proclamation No. 717, Series of 2004, declaring October 17 to 23 of every year as the "National Week for Overcoming Extreme Poverty";

WHEREAS, the general objective of the Proclamation is to unite and gather the support of all sectors of society - national government agencies, local government units, civil society organizations, private sector and the poor communities themselves - in the fight against extreme poverty;

WHEREAS, Presidential Proclamation No. 269, Series of 1993, declared October 17 of each year as the "National Day for Overcoming Extreme Poverty";

WHEREAS, the United Nations General Assembly also declared December 22, 2005 as the "International Day for Overcoming Extreme Poverty";

WHEREAS, the Philippines is a signatory to the Millennium Declaration in 2000 along with 191 countries;

WHEREAS, the United Nations Systems in the Philippines shall stage the Stand Up, Take Action campaign in the Philippines on 17-19 October 2008 in a bid to set a Guiness World Record of gathering 15 million Filipinos; and promote greater effort and attention to the achievement of Millenium Development Goals 2 (universal primary education) and 5 (maternal health) as these are the goals that the country needs to exert much effort for their achievement by 2015.

IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, all government agencies are hereby directed to observe the commemoration of the National Week for Overcoming Extreme Poverty by hanging banners or streamers in strategic areas, participating in the NAPC initiated National People's Day (Quezon City) and wreath-laying ceremony at Luneta, and by taking part in the various activities in support of the Stand Up, Take Action campaign.

Manila, 08 October 2008