March 30, 2015, Tacloban City. DSWD Field Office Eight is currently getting ready for the launching of a new strategy called the Accelerated and Sustainable Anti-Poverty Program (ASAPP) on April 10, 2015.

In an initial meeting called by Policy and Plans Division Chief, Yvonne Abonales to key personnel of the Field Office, it was learned that ASAPP will be implemented by DSWD and other agencies like DA, NEDA, BFAR, DAR, DOLE, TESDA and NYC, with the aim of trying to alleviate poverty and spur development to fast-track financing programs for poverty reduction.

Abonales bared that the ASAPP is part of the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cabinet Cluster’s (HDPRC) efforts “that seeks to reduce poverty by creating sustainable employment and income-generating opportunities for the poor.”

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, HDPRC co-chair, is expected to deliver the message during the one-day gathering of 40 municipal mayors from Leyte province as well as member – agencies of the HDPRC. The venue will be at the Municipal Hall of Palo, Leyte.

Ten provinces from varied regions were given priority to receive services under ASAPP. For Region Eight, Leyte is included.

Programs to be financed under ASAPP are the Universal Health Care, Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), Sustainable Livelihood (SLP), Abot Alam, and others for informal settler families.

In same activity, the provincial government of Leyte will present the provincial profile as well as the opportunities and challenges for poverty reduction, and the anti –poverty programs by agency

Said Abonales, the program will be built out of the lessons from previous poverty reduction efforts. The difference this time is that it will be pursued more actively with the participation of the private sector and local government units.