[Zuellig Family Foundation president Prof Ernesto Garilao talks on the importance of Bridging Leadership in alleviating poverty in the Philippines.] 

Text and photo by Xyla Mercedita E Gualberto

Xavier University’s Southeast Asia Rural Social Leadership Institute (SEARSOLIN) is partnering with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to help eradicate extreme poverty in the country. The partnership was forged at the Bridging Leadership for Convergence Program National Training of Trainers held at the Asian Institute of Management, Makati City on November 7-8.

With the goal of moving 2.3 million households out of the poverty level of survival to self-sufficiency, DSWD intends to capacitate its program implementers to work efficiently and with synergy, in order to achieve their goal.

As an academic partner, XU will capacitate the leaders of municipal action teams (MATs) from all over Region 10. The intent is to enable the MATs to influence their members so that as one team, they can better deliver DSWD’s core programs, namely the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan - Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services, Pantawid Pamilayng Pilipino Program and Sustainable Livelihood Program.

The Training of Trainers aimed to give context to the convergence program and to discuss possible academic interventions that will make the program more effective.

During his talk, DSWD Assistant Secretary Camilo Gandulin acknowledged that in the past, “we have trained leaders who have left the poor behind.”

The training sessions for the MATs are set to start in the first quarter of 2016, and will continue throughout the said year, with expansion in its areas of coverage.

As a Jesuit university characterized by its preferential option for the poor, XU through SEARSOLIN, in partnership with DSWD, is responding to the country’s need to train leaders of character who will lead the poor to a sound and sustainable life.