DepEd leads in record-breaking stand vs poverty

MANILA, Oct. 27 (PNA) -- The Department of Education (DepEd) provided the huge number of participants in the “Stand Up and Take Action” events around the country, urging government leaders to end poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The DepEd mobilized elementary school students through a vegetable gardening activity in most of the elementary schools nationwide.

The United Nations (UN) office in the Philippines earlier announced that some 35.2 million Filipinos or an unprecedented one-third of the country’s population, participated in “Stand Up and Take Action” events around the Philippines.

The event that took place from October 17-19 aims to send a loud message to government leaders that they should start taking concrete action leading to the fulfillment of the campaign in ending poverty around the world.

The numbers were announced after a two-day tabulation by SGV & Co. of events registered by organizations and individuals all over the country.

SGV & Co., the largest auditing firm in the country, certified the official Philippine total as 35,264,652, followed by verification and official confirmation by Guinness World Records, a first in the history of the Philippines and of the world.

“No other country can come close to the Philippines as far as mobilizing the largest number of participants is concerned. But more than the numbers, the Stand Up Take Action campaign should result in concrete policy changes and actions that directly address poverty,” said Minar Pimple, UN Millennium Campaign Deputy Director for Asia.

“This weekend, people around the globe assembled in numbers too large to ignore, demanding that world leaders deliver on the promises they made in the year 2000 to eradicate extreme poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Already, world leaders are responding. History has shown us that mass mobilizations have the power to change the course of history, and we will not stop mobilizing and advocating for action until the Millennium Development Goals are achieved,” Salil Shetty, Director of the UN Millennium Campaign, in a press statement said.

The Guinness World Records, for its part, announced that 116,993,629 participants in 7,777 events were mobilized around the world, topping last year’s 43 million count.

The number of participants set new Guinness World Record, topping last year’s global record.

Aside from DepEd, World Vision, Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) and the National Anti-Poverty Commission also took part in the said event.

The National Anti-Poverty Commission conducted a National People’s Day Caravan of Services at Luneta Park and in its communities nationwide.

World Vision and GCAP, on the other hand, partnered in a program called 50 simple steps to fight poverty, which they launched on Oct. 17 in their communities.

The Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines and the National Federation of Barangay Health Workers conducted pre-natal care to pregnant women and provided vitamins and iodine and dewormed children under-five in all their health units.

Meanwhile, the Department of Interior and Local Government nationwide conducted prayers for poverty reduction.

The Assalam Bangsamoro Peoples Association Inc. conducted a concert in Sultan Kudarat. GCAP conducted a rap contest on MDGs and a concert in Liwasang Bonifacio.

The highlight of Oct. 18 activities was the MDG Fiesta organized by the League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Cainta, Rizal with Mayor Mon Ilagan. The El Shaddai community dedicated its Saturday mass to a prayer on poverty reduction.

The October 19 events were jumpstarted with a charity run for the MDGs organized by Botak with celebrity runners that included former sprint Olympian Elma Muros, former Miss Universe 1st runner-up Miriam Quiambao and newscaster Karen Davila.