The Manila Times
Poverty alleviation through academic lens
by : Dr Carl E. Balita
WHEN teachers speak, we all must listen. And when the lessons are meaningful for all of us because the problems are so real, all the more we have reason to listen.
We must listen when 21 state universities and colleges (SUCs) across the country, 20 local government units from Eastern Visayas and one international higher education institution from Vietnam gather with some 200 scholars, researchers, thought leaders and education leaders. And when the topic is closest to the stomach — poverty — we should all pay attention and expect some serious assignment. .
This was what happened in the 5th International Conference on Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development (iPOVCON) hosted by Samar State University (SSU), in partnership with Southern Leyte State University, held on Oct. 16, 2024 at the Summit Hotel in Tacloban City.
We must listen when 21 state universities and colleges (SUCs) across the country, 20 local government units from Eastern Visayas and one international higher education institution from Vietnam gather with some 200 scholars, researchers, thought leaders and education leaders. And when the topic is closest to the stomach — poverty — we should all pay attention and expect some serious assignment. .
This was what happened in the 5th International Conference on Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development (iPOVCON) hosted by Samar State University (SSU), in partnership with Southern Leyte State University, held on Oct. 16, 2024 at the Summit Hotel in Tacloban City.
This year’s poverty conference bears the theme, “Empowering Communities through Sustainable Solutions and Innovations: Harnessing Change for Inclusive Growth.” .
Samar as sweet spot.
Lead convenor Dr. Redentor Palencia, president of SSU, presented a recent report by the United Nations Statistics Division that the Global Working Poverty Rate increased from 6.9 percent in 2019 to 7.7 percent in 2020 before returning to 6.9 percent in 2023, recording 241 million people who are still living in extreme poverty. .
In the Philippine setting, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed that the Philippines’ poverty rate has decreased to 15.5 percent last year (from 18.1 percent in 2021) showing a drop of 2.6 percent. This statistic gives us a reason to be optimistic. Yet, we remain persistent consciously knowing that the narratives and the cry of the poor continue to echo in the walls of our society. .
While the PSA shows further that poverty incidence significantly decreased in 11 out of the 18 regions of the country last year, the numbers cannot conceal the seven regions, which include Region 8 (Eastern Visayas), that continue to experience deprivation, hunger and chronic poverty, noted the young education leader from the province. .
iPOVCON 2024 is also championed by various government administrators, including Tacloban City Mayor Alfredo Romualdez, Region 8 Commission on Higher Education Director Dr. Maximo Aljibe and Samar Vice Gov. Arnold Tan. .
Mayor Romualdez emphasized that when people don’t have jobs, they end up violating the law then crime goes up. He admitted that there are many of those that they sent to school and ended up working in low-paying jobs as there is an oversupply of workers. He appealed to universities to look at the situation and come up with innovations on how we can give jobs to people. .
Samar Vice Gov. Arnold Tan acknowledges the high poverty incidence in the province but takes pride in the significant strides made toward development. He recognized that tackling poverty requires not just courage but also collaboration — especially with our valued partners in the academe, citing research to access innovative ideas, data-driven solutions and the expertise necessary to confront these challenges head-on. .
Data. Data. Data..
Science requires validation of even those that we can see. The discipline wants a categorical statement of even the obvious. The purpose is to measure — a prerequisite to improvement. .
The iPOVCON conversations initially centered on data. Kick-started by Prof. Brian Marson, professor of the Development Academy of the Philippines, who discussed “Ambisyon Natin 2040,” and delved into the strategies on how to transform the economic condition of the Philippines from “good” to “better.” This was followed by PSA Region 8 Director Wilma Perante, who explained poverty in the context of the Philippines and the agency’s current initiatives at addressing it. The National Economic and Development Authority Region 8 Director Meylene Rosales and Assistant Secretary Reynaldo Cancio intensively tackled the monitoring and evaluation of poverty reduction programs in the Philippines. .
PSA’s assistant national statistician Kristine Joy Briones delved into the use of community-based monitoring systems for effective poverty alleviation programs and policies in the Philippines. Dr. Logaiswari Indiran, senior lecturer of the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, talked about community empowerment through technology entrepreneurship. .
SUCs changing the narrative of poverty.
Eighteen universities and colleges, mostly SUCs, collaborated for the iPOVCON. .
Dr. Tirso Ronquillo, president of Batangas State University and president of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges, said that there are currently 113 SUCs in the country, consisting of 497 satellite campuses. Together, they serve around 2 million students, highlighting their critical role in educational outreach and societal impact. .
SUCs have transformed to become a competitive player in higher education, locally and even globally. Each year, SUCs produce about 300,000 graduates, significantly contributing to the skilled labor force. With approximately 140,000 staff dedicated to educational quality, SUCs are vital in creating opportunities and addressing local needs. .
There is a significant growth in the research efforts with outputs rising from 7,948 to 9,245 in 2023, demonstrating SUC’s commitment to enhancing research capabilities. There are 58 research and innovation centers in SUCs to bridge the gap between academia and local communities, empowering citizens to effectively respond to climate challenges. .
There is collaboration among 75 SUCs that has blossomed, with partnerships expanding from 817 to 1,010 (23.6-percent increase). More importantly, 82.7 percent of these institutions have integrated innovation and technopreneurship into their curricula, preparing students for a dynamic workforce. .
Furthermore, SUCs are connecting beyond the classroom implementing 5,520 social responsibility programs in 2023 — with 564 project initiatives focused on environmental sustainability and climate adaptation. .
President Ronquillo walk-the-talk of quality and relevant higher education citing Batangas State University as a national leader and which by virtue of Republic Act 11694, now serves as the National Engineering University, committed to community engagement and national development. .
Give me 5 SSU.
There are five key points brought out by the iPOVCON for the SSU. It has intensified its strategies emphasizing on localized approaches, collaboration and sustainable development to respond to the most pressing issue of all time — poverty. .
First is the establishment of the Samar Island Center for Good and Local Governance, aRResearch center dedicated to collaborative efforts with the government, NGOs and communities. Second is through community-based education programs and capacity-building initiatives. Third is where the university puts a premium on the conduct of research studies which are responsive to local needs of the vulnerable sectors, along with partnering with the appropriate stakeholders for actionable solutions from their research findings. Fourth is the dedicated advocacies for national and local policies supporting education, health care and innovations that provide solutions with the current poverty issues that ail the communities. And the fifth is the integration of the SDGs into the university curriculum across all disciplines and diligently organized workshops and conferences for information sharing between researchers, policymakers and community leaders. .
Sigh of relief.
Optimism filled the air in the iPOVCON, not only because of the data that seem to show improvements — nano-strides but all worth some celebration — but because of the menu of action agenda available as key takeaways. .
On my part as a plenary speaker on Blue Sky Strategy, I cited the potential roles of social entrepreneurs — enterprises and businesses — who may choose to be a good corporate citizen in the neighborhood. I presented my innovation model anchored on social purpose where new value combines with the goal for commercial success but deeply rooted on social purpose. Doing differently and well by doing good. .
Based on the central theme generated from the key takeaways of the participants, I synthesized and challenged them to embrace these action agenda (acronym, iPOVCON), which includes institutionalization of collaboration, pursuit of shared vision, optimization of innovation, value utility of data and information, capacitation of the different population, obligation to act and deliver, and the nurturance of resilience. .
Congratulations to SSU and all those who took part in the iPOVCON. May your learnings bring about the proof of learning itself — change. .
-END-
Samar as sweet spot.
Lead convenor Dr. Redentor Palencia, president of SSU, presented a recent report by the United Nations Statistics Division that the Global Working Poverty Rate increased from 6.9 percent in 2019 to 7.7 percent in 2020 before returning to 6.9 percent in 2023, recording 241 million people who are still living in extreme poverty. .
In the Philippine setting, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed that the Philippines’ poverty rate has decreased to 15.5 percent last year (from 18.1 percent in 2021) showing a drop of 2.6 percent. This statistic gives us a reason to be optimistic. Yet, we remain persistent consciously knowing that the narratives and the cry of the poor continue to echo in the walls of our society. .
While the PSA shows further that poverty incidence significantly decreased in 11 out of the 18 regions of the country last year, the numbers cannot conceal the seven regions, which include Region 8 (Eastern Visayas), that continue to experience deprivation, hunger and chronic poverty, noted the young education leader from the province. .
iPOVCON 2024 is also championed by various government administrators, including Tacloban City Mayor Alfredo Romualdez, Region 8 Commission on Higher Education Director Dr. Maximo Aljibe and Samar Vice Gov. Arnold Tan. .
Mayor Romualdez emphasized that when people don’t have jobs, they end up violating the law then crime goes up. He admitted that there are many of those that they sent to school and ended up working in low-paying jobs as there is an oversupply of workers. He appealed to universities to look at the situation and come up with innovations on how we can give jobs to people. .
Samar Vice Gov. Arnold Tan acknowledges the high poverty incidence in the province but takes pride in the significant strides made toward development. He recognized that tackling poverty requires not just courage but also collaboration — especially with our valued partners in the academe, citing research to access innovative ideas, data-driven solutions and the expertise necessary to confront these challenges head-on. .
Data. Data. Data..
Science requires validation of even those that we can see. The discipline wants a categorical statement of even the obvious. The purpose is to measure — a prerequisite to improvement. .
The iPOVCON conversations initially centered on data. Kick-started by Prof. Brian Marson, professor of the Development Academy of the Philippines, who discussed “Ambisyon Natin 2040,” and delved into the strategies on how to transform the economic condition of the Philippines from “good” to “better.” This was followed by PSA Region 8 Director Wilma Perante, who explained poverty in the context of the Philippines and the agency’s current initiatives at addressing it. The National Economic and Development Authority Region 8 Director Meylene Rosales and Assistant Secretary Reynaldo Cancio intensively tackled the monitoring and evaluation of poverty reduction programs in the Philippines. .
PSA’s assistant national statistician Kristine Joy Briones delved into the use of community-based monitoring systems for effective poverty alleviation programs and policies in the Philippines. Dr. Logaiswari Indiran, senior lecturer of the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, talked about community empowerment through technology entrepreneurship. .
SUCs changing the narrative of poverty.
Eighteen universities and colleges, mostly SUCs, collaborated for the iPOVCON. .
Dr. Tirso Ronquillo, president of Batangas State University and president of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges, said that there are currently 113 SUCs in the country, consisting of 497 satellite campuses. Together, they serve around 2 million students, highlighting their critical role in educational outreach and societal impact. .
SUCs have transformed to become a competitive player in higher education, locally and even globally. Each year, SUCs produce about 300,000 graduates, significantly contributing to the skilled labor force. With approximately 140,000 staff dedicated to educational quality, SUCs are vital in creating opportunities and addressing local needs. .
There is a significant growth in the research efforts with outputs rising from 7,948 to 9,245 in 2023, demonstrating SUC’s commitment to enhancing research capabilities. There are 58 research and innovation centers in SUCs to bridge the gap between academia and local communities, empowering citizens to effectively respond to climate challenges. .
There is collaboration among 75 SUCs that has blossomed, with partnerships expanding from 817 to 1,010 (23.6-percent increase). More importantly, 82.7 percent of these institutions have integrated innovation and technopreneurship into their curricula, preparing students for a dynamic workforce. .
Furthermore, SUCs are connecting beyond the classroom implementing 5,520 social responsibility programs in 2023 — with 564 project initiatives focused on environmental sustainability and climate adaptation. .
President Ronquillo walk-the-talk of quality and relevant higher education citing Batangas State University as a national leader and which by virtue of Republic Act 11694, now serves as the National Engineering University, committed to community engagement and national development. .
Give me 5 SSU.
There are five key points brought out by the iPOVCON for the SSU. It has intensified its strategies emphasizing on localized approaches, collaboration and sustainable development to respond to the most pressing issue of all time — poverty. .
First is the establishment of the Samar Island Center for Good and Local Governance, aRResearch center dedicated to collaborative efforts with the government, NGOs and communities. Second is through community-based education programs and capacity-building initiatives. Third is where the university puts a premium on the conduct of research studies which are responsive to local needs of the vulnerable sectors, along with partnering with the appropriate stakeholders for actionable solutions from their research findings. Fourth is the dedicated advocacies for national and local policies supporting education, health care and innovations that provide solutions with the current poverty issues that ail the communities. And the fifth is the integration of the SDGs into the university curriculum across all disciplines and diligently organized workshops and conferences for information sharing between researchers, policymakers and community leaders. .
Sigh of relief.
Optimism filled the air in the iPOVCON, not only because of the data that seem to show improvements — nano-strides but all worth some celebration — but because of the menu of action agenda available as key takeaways. .
On my part as a plenary speaker on Blue Sky Strategy, I cited the potential roles of social entrepreneurs — enterprises and businesses — who may choose to be a good corporate citizen in the neighborhood. I presented my innovation model anchored on social purpose where new value combines with the goal for commercial success but deeply rooted on social purpose. Doing differently and well by doing good. .
Based on the central theme generated from the key takeaways of the participants, I synthesized and challenged them to embrace these action agenda (acronym, iPOVCON), which includes institutionalization of collaboration, pursuit of shared vision, optimization of innovation, value utility of data and information, capacitation of the different population, obligation to act and deliver, and the nurturance of resilience. .
Congratulations to SSU and all those who took part in the iPOVCON. May your learnings bring about the proof of learning itself — change. .
-END-