Barangayanihan project junked

Barely two months after she created it, President Arroyo has abolished the "Unlad Barangayanihan" program to mobilize barangay folk in the government’s anti-poverty projects.

Through Executive Order 183, dated Feb. 28, the President abolished the Ugnayan ng Lahi at Diwa, Bayanihan sa Barangay program which she created only Dec. 13 with an annual funding of P5 million.

The program, created through EO 157, was meant "to create a network of barangay-based economic initiatives and to encourage people support and participation that will strengthen the poverty alleviation efforts of the government" and was supposed to be have been headed by presidential liaison officer for political affairs Jose Rufino, executive director of Mrs. Arroyo’s Lakas party.

EO 183 did not state why the earlier executive order was being abolished but Palace observers said it may have something to do with Mrs. Arroyo’s declaration that she would not run in the May 2004 presidential election.

EO 157 stated that Unlad Barangayanihan was to be organized around "the skills and investible funds of the more than 8 million overseas Filipinos who will be encouraged to set up their own enterprises in their respective barangays." – Marichu Villanueva