Edited by: Ms. Arianne T. Salcedo
CATBALOGAN CITY – The 5th National Conference on Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development aka POVCON successfully continued its pursuit to reduce poverty incidence in the country with this year’s theme “Reinventing Resilience, Empowering Citizenry” on October 27-29 (21) via Zoom conferencing.
Serving as partner collaborators are Biliran Province State University (BiPSU), Eastern Samar State University (ESSU), Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), Northwest Samar State University (NwSSU), Palompon Institute of Technology (PIT), Saint Paul School of Professional Studies (SPSPS), Southern Leyte State University (SLSU), University of Eastern Philippines (UEP), Visayas State University (VSU) and this year’s POVCON Co-Host Leyte Normal University (LNU).
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Hon. J. Prospero E. De Vera III served as the POVCON Keynote Speaker alongside CHED Commissioner Aldrin A. Darilag, Undersecretary for Regional Development Group of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) USec. Mercedita A. Sombilla, and Undersecretary for Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) USec. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara.
Also gracing the annual event were the Provincial Administrator of the Office of the Governor of Capiz Province Dr. Edwin Chinel Monares, Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, Culture and Arts Sen. Joel Villanueva, the Founder of the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually-Reinforcing Institutions (CARD-MRI) Dr. Jaime Aristotle B. Alip and the Director of AUN-EEC and a Professor of John Gokongwei School of Management.
The conference has been serving as a platform for showcasing relevant scientific studies and discourses along poverty alleviation initiatives and tackling the subject of poverty in the context of the new normal for five years now.
POVCON proves to be a collaborative effort of the academe and the Provincial and Local Government Units to address gaps on poverty and as a whole satisfy the Sustainable Development Goal 1 of all countries which is to end poverty.