By Earl Jed Roque/PNA
MANILA – Newly-appointed Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) Chairperson Alvin Feliciano expressed his initiative to change the public perception on the agency, from that which deals with demolition orders to a proactive office that coordinates and facilitates delivery of services to the urban poor.
In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Wednesday, Feliciano, who assumed office as PCUP chair last month, said they are currently pushing to popularize PCUP as a proactive agency that helps the urban poor.
Feliciano admits the current public perception on PCUP is that their office is solely managing demolition orders in urban areas.
“Palaging dumarating sa isip ng tao na kapag may demolition, gigibain ang bahay namin, PCUP. Ayaw naming ganun. Gusto naming maging proactive ang PCUP. Proactive in a sense na bababa kami sa mga komunidad kung saan may dala-dala kaming serbisyo (What always crosses people’s mind is that when there is a demolition, PCUP is the office in charge. We do not want that. We want a proactive PCUP. Proactive in a sense that we go down to communities to offer services),” Feliciano said.
Feliciano cited interventions such as conducting PCUP on-the-go caravans nationwide where medical missions, job fairs, micro-financing, and skills training will be facilitated in urban poor areas around the country in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Feliciano added that they aim to partner with private organizations and foundations for their “Adopt an Urban Poor Community” program.
He also cited the plan to issue Urban Poor Privilege Cards where individuals identified by their agency as urban poor can avail of discounts in government and private offices.
“Hindi naman kaya ng gobyerno lahat eh (The government can’t do it alone),” he said.
The PCUP is set to launch the caravan on December 29.
It is initially set to hold four caravans in Luzon and two to three in Visayas and in Mindanao.
