WHEREAS, mass poverty is the principal problem confronting the nation today, underpinning many national problems and challenges and affecting the great majority of the population;

WHEREAS, the Constitution explicitly mandates in its declaration of principles and state policies that "the State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will . . . free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all";

WHEREAS, there is a need to formulate a comprehensive program to address the poverty problem and design innovative ways to solve it;

WHEREAS, the government has committed itself to measurable targets and accomplishments in combatting the poverty problem;

WHEREAS, there is a need for well organized interventions that will empower the poor so that they can exercise a more vital role in their development and in the formulation of public policy;

WHEREAS, there is a need for a body which shall gather under one umbrella all government activities designed to help our poor households and communities to catch up with more progressive ones;

WHEREAS, to address poverty, the body should undertake three main types of intervention: ensure the delivery of basic social services to the poorest communities and to make sure that every poor family has a decent minimum of health, nutrition, housing and education; ensure that the poor gain access to agrarian reform, skills training and extension services that will open livelihood opportunities and jobs to them; help poor communities organize cooperatively - to empower them to take a greater role in their development and to make their voices heard in the making of public policy;

WHEREAS, efficient intervention requires ensuring access to and ownership of resources and capability building.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the sovereign will of the Filipino people and the powers vested in me by laws of the land, do hereby order:

Section 1. The Commission. - There is hereby created under the Office of the President, a Presidential Commission to Fight Poverty, hereinafter referred to as the Commission, which shall oversee all government activities on poverty alleviation to ensure pro-poor bias, focus on the poorest of the poor and most needed services, and accelerated implementation of government programs and projects.

Sec. 2. Composition. - The Commission shall be composed of the following:

a) Executive Secretary or his designated Deputy;

b) Secretary of Social Welfare and Development;

c) Secretary of Interior and Local Government; d) Secretary of Budget and Management;

e) Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority; and f) Three (3) representative from the private sector, to be appointed by the President. The President shall designate the Chairman from among the members of the Commission.

Sec. 3. Functions. - The Commission shall have, among others, the following functions:

a) Prepare a blue print of action that shall embody the Administration ™s poverty alleviation framework and translate this into short, medium and long-term targets. This shall reflect the priority action areas of the Administration;

b) Monitor the implementation and impact of government poverty alleviation programs, projects and activities;

c) Coordinate and integrate government poverty alleviation efforts;

d) Review and evaluate the level of performance of concerned agencies and activities;

e) Prod and facilitate the implementation of poverty alleviation activities;

f) Communicate to the public government ™s poverty alleviation activities and its impact;

g) Provide the support and assistance needed by local government units to ensure that they deliver the basic services to their respective constituencies;

h) Ensure that all government pro-poor programs build the capability of our people to be empowered and to be self-reliant.

Sec. 4. Implementing Agencies. - All existing programs and projects shall continue to be implemented by concerned agencies. The Commission shall call on any government agencies/bodies as it may deem necessary. It may set up task forces/mechanisms to address specific poverty issues.

Sec. 5. Technical/Administrative Support. - The Presidential Management Staff in coordination with the Presidential Commission on Urban Poor shall provide the technical and administrative support to the Commission.

Sec. 6. Monitoring Arm. - The Presidential Action Center shall be the monitoring arm of the Commission on the government ™s pro-poor programs.

Sec. 7. Effectivity. - This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 15th day of August, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Two.


By the President:
(Sgd.) DIONISIO C. DE LA SERNA
Senior Deputy Executive Secretary