Paunang talumpati ni Sec. Liza Maza upang pormal na buksan ang National Anti-Poverty Sectoral Summit. #GapiinAngKahirapan pic.twitter.com/jAyfaC8dpZ

— NAPC (@NAPC_ph) October 7, 2016

MANILA - Anti-poverty officials of the Duterte administration are confident that the country can survive even without financial aid from other countries and international groups.

This, following President Duterte's recent dare to the United States and European Union to withdraw aid to the Philippines over his bloody war on drugs.

Speaking on the sidelines of the National Anti-Poverty Summit at the Philippine International Convention Center, National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) lead convenor Liza Maza said that true reforms, not external aid, are needed to finally end poverty.

"Sa totoo lang, lagi tayong nakadepende sa aid, foreign investments at alam nating hindi naman ito talagang nakasugpo o nakatugon sa kahirapan ng ating kababayan," Maza said.

[Honestly, we have been too dependent on aid, foreign investments even if we know that these are not the direct solutions to address poverty.]

"Siguro sa panahon namang ito na tayo ay tumindig sa ating sarili. Hanapin natin ang paraan, yung kinakailangan at atin mismong i-maximize yung sariling lakas at talino ng mga Pilipino para tayo ay makahanap ng solusyon sa kahirapan," she added.

[I hope this time we will learn how to stand on our own feet. We should look for ways, maximize the strengths and skill of Filipinos to find ways to solve poverty.]

Maza explained that the government has enough funds to address the needs of the public, even without foreign aid.

"We can survive. Maraming programa na makakakuha din tayo ng pondo. Sinasabing bilyon-bilyon ang nawawala dahil sa kurapsyon. Ngayon, kung magiging thoroughgoing yung laban natin sa kurapsyon, makakadagdag pondo yan," she said.

[We can survive. We have a lot of programs that can generate funds. We lose billions because of corruption, but if the fight against corruption will be thoroughgoing, we can have more funds.]

The former Gabriela Party-list representative scored the importance of people's participation in the crafting of socio-economic policies of the government as a means to combat poverty, and said that the summit aims to get the people's input in the crafting of the country's development goals.

"It is the patriotic duty of every Filipino to join and participate in this struggle against poverty," she said.

Presidential Commission on the Urban Poor chair Terry Ridon also supported the stance of the President.

"I think it is foolish for anyone to think that just because the aid is gone, the country will go to ruin," Ridon said.

"I think the President is very clear na sigurado siya na hindi mangyayari sa Pilipinas yon. [I think the President is sure that it will not happen to the Philippines.] We have such rich resources in terms of agriculture, national resources," he said.

Meanwhile, former Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares explained that genuine land reform and industrialization, along with increased public participation in crafting land and labor policies, are needed to address poverty.

Rep. Neri Colmenares: 'Undertake agrarian reform, industrialization and we will win the battle against poverty' #GapiinAngKahirapan pic.twitter.com/OE22ZCRlZP

— NAPC (@NAPC_ph) October 7, 2016