Governor Bong Lacson, together with participating national government agencies and the LGUs of Bago, Moises Padilla and Murcia signed today, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) Program.
The signing was held at the Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City, this morning (August 17), during the EPAHP 2nd Convergence Meeting.
The MOU was signed between the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, National Irrigation Administration – Negros Occidental Irrigation Management Office, Dept. of Agrarian Reform – Provincial Office South, Landbank of the Philippines, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, Dept. of Science and Technology, Dept. of Agriculture, Dept. of Social Welfare and Development, and the local government units of Bago, Moises Padilla, and Murcia.
The EPAHP Program aims to address key challenges in social and economic inclusive growth, that requires concerted actions and holistic approaches to mitigate hunger, ensure food security and health, and reduce poverty in rural communities.
It is also intended to contribute to the national government’s efforts in addressing hunger and poverty through the synergy and convergence of the essential services of the participating national government agencies and LGUs that directly benefit the poor sector of the country.
It is stated in the MOU that EPAHP will have a provincial geographical coverage and the convergence teams, created at the provincial level to serve as the support working group for the programs, will be strategically formed and effective coordination arrangements will be pursued in the covered areas.
Gov. Lacson thanked all the stakeholders and partners for their commitment and support.
“Poverty is more than just lack of income and resources, its effects and manifestations, are multifarious – there is hunger, malnutrition, limited access to education, health and other basic services, and also discrimination,” said Gov. Lacson.
He also said that with the COVID crisis aggravating all pre-existing conditions before the pandemic, there is no other alternative but to adapt, survive and eventually transcend.
