We have seen the many faces of poverty, for sure. We have felt it in so many ways –in education, in employment and even when we purchase goods at the grocery. It becomes as if it’s a cycle passed on from one generation to another.

Advocacies on poverty alleviation sprout like mushrooms everywhere. Companies build their own corporate social responsibility activities; private individuals create groups with a call to help those in need. We can pretty tell that we are surrounded by people who are willing to make a move to create positive changes in the society. But despite this, why are we still battling against poverty? Will the poor always be with us?

In 2009, a comprehensive targeting system called the National Household Targeting System (NHTS) now known as the Listahahan project was developed by the government through the DSWD to identify who and where the poor are in the country. Through the project, the government was able to form unified criteria for the identification of poor.

As stated in the Republic Act 8425 or the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act, Poor refers to individuals and families whose income fall below the poverty threshold as defined by the government and/or those that cannot afford in a sustained manner, to provide their basic needs of food, health, education, housing and other amenities of life.

Based on the 2009 assessment, a whopping 5.2 million Filipinos were identified as poor by the said project as of that year.

As the second round of household assessment concludes, will we expect this number to have decreased by now? Maybe.

In one occasion or two, as a Communications Officer, I get to randomly ask identified poor families how they cope with the plight. And each time, I would be left flabbergasted by their responses. Some would say “If you fail 10 times, you should get up 10 times.” Others would utter “When we learn something from our Family Development Sessions, we apply it in our daily lives,” or something like “We save a part from the financial assistance that we receive and the rest we invest in business.”

 And although these are just singular thoughts and personal accounts of random people, these echo similar voices and story as with the majority in the society.

The other day, Lola Dionita Diego of Barangay San Roque, Zamboanga City visited the DSWD Field Office IX bringing with her merchandises that she sells as a means of living. It was quite an inspiring scenery seeing Lola Dionita do the sales talking. For a 78-year old woman, we could just imagine how difficult it is to peddle around daily to earn a living.

Lola Dionita and her husband are both beneficiaries of the Social Pension program of the agency. She shares that their monthly stipend helps them in so many ways. They save money in the bank, they invest on medicines and vitamins to keep them healthy and they invest in small business such as merchandising. Isn’t this a story that is worth sharing and emulating?

The voices that tell this kind of stories is an exhibition of the power of the poor –the power to change their own lives, the strength to make it despite and in spite the situation that they are in, and the opportunity of a positive revolution.

Helping one’s self is a great start to step out of an unpleasant situation. But it is not a standalone. The same is true with agencies providing assistance to clients to alleviate their lives. One cannot make it without the intervention of all other social protection agencies to address the faces of poverty. Another popular saying can best express this idea: together we stand, divided we fall.

Now, will the POOR always be with us? This and all other similar stories of perseverance that you may have heard probably is the answer to the question.