Beginning year 2000, the Caucus of Development NGO Networks zeroed in on poverty eradication as its main agenda for policy advocacy. CODE-NGO has various reasons for addressing the problematique on poverty.

First, poverty is a blatant attack against the dignity of the human being;

Second, the nature of our work and experience pushes us to address the issue at this point in time;

Third, we had to make the then Estrada Administration accountable for its anti-poverty rhetoric and now we have to ensure that the Macapagal-Arroyo Administration fulfills its promise to the Filipino people.

Fourth, growth coupled with the increasing disenfranchisement and marginalization of poor nations and people is a phenomenon that has taken on a rapid pace as a consequence of globalization. Civil society needs to frame comprehensive approaches to global threats to human security by directing immediate focus on the poverty situation and all its consequent negative impact on other areas.

And lastly, since the World Summit on Social Development in 1995, the poverty agenda has occupied global attention. Even the multilateral and global financing institutions have seen the urgency of responding to poverty and have directed their funds and policy thrusts in this direction.

The key to effective poverty reduction is good governance. The objective is to reform governance by eliminating political patronage and graft and corruption. Good governance entails accountability, transparency, and genuine people's participation in decision-making.

The immediate aim is to make government accountable for the progressive reduction of poverty in the country.

CODE-NGO's Policy Agenda and Advocacy Strategy Paper for 2000-2004, aptly titled "SUBSTANTIATING RHETORIC: Taking the Cudgels Against Poverty and Inequity" can be downloaded here. (Please put appropriate hyperlink.)