ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines — The ambassador of South Africa to the Philippines is urging for stronger public-private partnership in alleviating poverty.

“As long as there is unemployment and people cannot eat, we need to work together to ease this social problem,” said South African Ambassador Agnes Nyamande-Pitso during her first official visit to Iloilo.

Nyamande-Pitso was in Iloilo for two days, Monday and Tuesday, to observe the implementation of the 1Meal Program here which was patterned after Cape Town, South Africa’s StreetSmart program.

Said programs seek to raise funds to give underprivileged or homeless children a chance to have a better life by providing not only food, but also educational opportunities.

1 Meal, which is founded by prominent Ilongga, Teresa Chan, collects funds from diners in participating restaurants for feeding programs and improving facilities in less privileged public schools.

According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region 6, there are 2.3 million people in Western Visayas living below the poverty line with Iloilo City registering the most number of poverty-stricken individuals.