Several months before the curtain call of their tenure, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday called on local government executives to step up programs to ease poverty and stimulate growth in their respective jurisdictions.

Addressing an assembly of League of Municipalities of the Philippines at the Manila Hotel, the President said local officials should set aside portions of their revenues in anti-poverty programs such as cash subsidies, health insurance, agrarian reform, and microfinance loans, to uplift the conditions of their less fortunate constituents.

The administration has increased to P40 billion the internal revenue allotment (IRA) of local government units after the implementation of the value-added tax on goods and services, according to the President.

“Let us continue to work aggressively to ensure that the growth that has been generating jobs and revenue to invest in critical social programs to fight poverty will be sustained. Through government support at all levels and the hard work of our people, we will not be deterred by man-made calamity in our effort to maintain growth,” she said.

"Up Several months before the curtain call of their tenure, President Arroyo yesterday called on local government executives to step up programs to ease poverty and stimulate growth in their respective jurisdictions.

Addressing an assembly of League of Municipalities of the Philippines at the Manila Hotel, the President said local officials should set aside portions of their revenues in anti-poverty programs such as cash subsidies, health insurance, agrarian reform, and microfinance loans, to uplift the conditions of their less fortunate constituents.

The administration has increased to P40 billion the internal revenue allotment (IRA) of local government units after the implementation of the value-added tax on goods and services, according to the President.

“Let us continue to work aggressively to ensure that the growth that has been generating jobs and revenue to invest in critical social programs to fight poverty will be sustained. Through government support at all levels and the hard work of our people, we will not be deterred by man-made calamity in our effort to maintain growth,” she said.