WHEREAS, the goal of the Administration is to reduce poverty and improve quality of life of the poor;

WHEREAS, the Social Reform Agenda has laid the foundation for anti-poverty efforts characterized by its multi-dimensional approach to poverty as provided on its three-point agenda namely: a) Access to Quality Basic Services; b) Asset Reform and Access to Economic Opportunities and Sustainable Development of Productive Resources; and, c) Democratizing Governance Decision-Making and Management Practices;

WHEREAS, the Social Reform Agenda has been institutionalized to be a major component of the National Anti-Poverty Action Agenda through the Republic Act No. 8425 or the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act;

WHEREAS, the Social Reform Agenda is being implemented both at the national and local levels, thus, its systems, policies and structures can be the mechanism by which the Administration can efficiently reduce poverty on a sustained basis;

WHEREAS, RA 8425, the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act, mandates the creation of the National Anti-Poverty Commission;

WHEREAS, RA 8425 mandates the National Anti-Poverty Commission to formulate a National Anti-Poverty Action Agenda which shall principally incorporate the goals, programs and strategies of the Social Reform Agenda;

WHEREAS, there is a need to formulate and implement the implementing rules and regulations governing the creation of NAPC to formulate, operationalize and oversee the Government ™s National Anti-Poverty Action Agenda;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

1. The Implementing Rules and Regulations Governing the Creation of the NAPC, hereto attached as œAnnex A , is hereby approved, and adopted.

2. The NAPC Lead Convenor is hereby directed to coordinate the formulation of the National Anti-Poverty Action Agenda and the operationalization of the Administration ™s Flagship Programs on Anti-Poverty. He shall be responsible for orchestrating and coordinating the implementation of the Flagship Lead Agencies ™ activities and efforts for the achievement of the goals and objectives under the Administration ™s National Anti-Poverty Action Agenda.

3. The SRA Flagship agencies and all other appropriate government departments and agencies are hereby directed to undertake the following in order to flesh out the Flagship Programs:

1. To review and re-align their respective existing SRA programs and projects and/or identify and commit new programs and projects to operationalize the Flagships;
2. To commit agency resources in order to operationalize all the programs and projects identified and committed for this purpose; and,
3. To convene, consult, and confer with appropriate sectoral organizations, and basic sectoral councils to flesh out the different program/project components of the Flagship Programs on Anti-Poverty and their geographic areas for implementation.

4. The Lead Convenor shall create a Technical Working Group composed of senior technical representatives from Flagship Agencies and other relevant agencies as well as representatives from the basic sectors to formulate the mechanics for this purpose. The group shall also submit recommendations for fund augmentation and generation both within and outside of the General Appropriations Act, for the implementation of the Flagship Programs.

5. The NAPC Lead Convenor shall submit the recommendations to the Office of the President within sixty (60) days upon the effectivity of this Administrative Order.

Done at Malaca ang, Manila, this 27^th day of July, in the Year of Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-eight.

(Sgd.) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA
President of the Philippines

By the President:
(Sgd.) RONALDO B. ZAMORA
Executive Secretary