The amendments being made to the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 11291 or the Magna Carta of the Poor will significantly bolster the government’s efforts to uplift the lives of millions of impoverished Filipinos, Senator Christopher Lawrence Go said on Wednesday.

In a news release, Go said he believes the move aims to align the law’s IRR to the poverty reduction plan of the Marcos administration.

“Para ma-guarantee natin ang karapatan ng mahihirap nating mga kababayan pagdating po sa sapat na pagkain, disenteng trabaho, edukasyon, at pabahay upang mas maging akma ito sa panahon ngayon. Kailangan pong mai-harmonize po itong anti-poverty program (To guarantee the rights of our poor countrymen when it comes to enough food, decent jobs, education, and housing so it fits with the current times. This anti-poverty program should be harmonized),” he said.

“Bilang senador, suportado ko po ang anumang hakbang o programa ng gobyerno na mapapabuti po ang kabuhayan ng mga kababayan nating Pilipino lalung-lalo na po ang mahihirap (As a senator, I support any step or program of the government that aims to improve the lives of our countrymen especially the poor).”

Signed into law by former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2020, RA 11291 aims to provide a comprehensive framework for addressing poverty-related concerns.

The National Anti-Poverty Commission expects to finish the amendments on the law’s IRR by the end of the month. It will specify details on its implementation under the National Poverty Reduction Plan and the local government units’ Local Poverty Reduction Action Plans.

The Marcos administration sees the implementation of RA 11291 as a means to bring down the country’s poverty incidence from 18.1 percent in 2021 to 8.8 to 9 percent by 2028. (PNA)