Del Mar’s Magna Carta passed

CEBU, Philippines - The Magna Carta for the Poor Bill principally authored by Cebu City Congresswoman Rachel Del Mar was finally passed yesterday by Congress with the concurrence by the House of Representatives to the amendments introduced by the Senate.  This bill establishes the following rights of the poor: the right to food, the right to employment and livelihood, the right to relevant and quality education, the right to shelter and the right to basic health services and medicines.

With this bill, government will institutionalize long-term strategies and solutions for the empowerment of the poor.  Government will also ensure adequate and decent employment and living wage for the basic sector workers, farmers-peasants, artisanal fisherfolk, and other indigents.  The DSWD will expand a program of subsidy to help the poor meet their minimum food necessities as well as issue food certificates to the poor to enable them to obtain food items from food stores duly accredited by the Department of Trade and Industry.

Most importantly, with this law, the poor can now demand the full enjoyment of these benefits as a matter of right. 

“This is a milestone in legislation.  With this law, the poor will now be able to demand that government provide jobs, employment and a basic living wage,” Rep. Del Mar said.

Rep. Del Mar is confident that President Benigno Aquino III will welcome signing the Magna Carta for the Poor into law as this serves to complement his administrations’ pro-poor agenda.

“The administration has already achieved a modicum of success with its efforts to uplift the lives of the poor.  This bill institutionalizes as well as expands the delivery of basic services to the poor.” (FREEMAN)