Section 2. Declaration of Policy.— It is the declared policy of the State to uplift the standard of living and quality of life of the poor and provide them with sustained opportunities for growth and development. It shall adopt an area-based, sectoral, and focused intervention to poverty alleviation where every poor Filipino must be empowered to meet the minimum basic needs through the partnership of the government and the basic sectors.

It is likewise vital that the State complies with its international obligations to end poverty in all its forms, ensure and promote the health and well-being of all.

To attain the foregoing policy:

1. Investments in anti-poverty programs to enable the poor to fully participate in the country’s growth and development shall be among the top priorities of the State;

2. Full access to government services shall be provided to the poor by departments, agencies and instrumentalities of the government;

3. Interventions to address the genuine concerns of the poor will be strengthened, and long-term strategies and solutions for the empowerment of the poor will be institutionalized; and

4. Enhancement and promotion of capabilities and competencies of the basic sectors, the nongovernment organizations (NGOs), the people’s organizations (POs), and other development partners for the effective delivery and implementation of a wide range of anti-poverty programs and basic services through government strategies and collaboration with development partners.