TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — Samar State University (SSU), in partnership with Southern Leyte State University (SLSU), staged the 5th International Conference on Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development (iPOVCON) today, October 16, 2024 at the Summit Hotel, Tacloban City, Philippines. This year’s poverty conference bears the theme, “Empowering Communities through Sustainable Solutions and Innovations: Harnessing Change for Inclusive Growth.”
The confab, which will run until tomorrow, is currently participated by total of 110 researchers from across the globe. SSU President Dr. Redentor S. Palencia, the head convener of iPOVCON 2024, underscored the importance of working together towards poverty alleviation through his welcome address during the confab’s opening ceremony.
“Today, we are again gathered because of a shared reality—that though we have translated efforts in poverty reduction, [it] continues to hamper our dreamed prosperity. [So], we remain committed to our vision that through our sustained, coordinated, and collaborative efforts, together, we can improve the lives of the marginalized and vulnerable, and attain the Sustainable Development Goal #1: No Poverty,” President Palencia remarked.
iPOVCON 2024 is also championed by various government administrators, including Tacloban City Mayor Hon. Alfredo S. Romualdez, Region 8 Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Director Dr. Maximo C. Aljibe, and Samar Province Governor Hon. Sharee Ann T. Tan, who gave messages of support during the opening ceremony.
“When [people] don’t have jobs, they end up violating the law then crime goes up. There are many of those that we sent to school who end up working in low-paying jobs as there is oversupply of workers. So, I am appealing to universities to look at our situation of coming up with innovations on how we can give jobs to the people,” Mayor Romualdez emphasized.
The kick-off of the iPOVCON 2024 featured meaningful conversations with renowned poverty experts, namely Prof. Brian Marson of the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), Dr. Claire Dennis S. Mapa, Undersecretary of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), and Asec. Reynaldo R. Cancio of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), who gave keynote discussions on understanding poverty and the Philippines’ current initiatives to addressing it.
The confab’s afternoon session focused on four plenary talks surrounding data-driven programs and innovative solutions to combat poverty in the country. Batangas State University (BatSU) President Dr. Tirso A. Ronquillo shared BatSU’s best practices along technological innovation and how these were integrated into the curriculum upgrading of BatSU students. Moreover, PSA’s Assistant National Statistician Ms. Kristine Joy S. Briones delved into the use of community-based monitoring system for effective poverty alleviation programs and policies in the Philippines. Afterwards, Dr. Logaiswari Indiran, Senior Lecturer of the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, talked about community empowerment through technology entrepreneurship where she presented various case studies on the success of ‘technopreneurship’ in many parts of the world. Finally, Carl Balita Review Center’s (CBRC) President & CEO Dr. Carl E. Balita gave an intensive discussion on blue sky strategies where he shared his ‘Innovation Framework’ that is centered on social purpose, commercial success, and new value.
Led by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Extension Services headed by Engr. Mirador G. Labrador, the confab’s first day concluded with an affirmation of commitment by all collaborators.