In a land where a president takes pride in conditional cash transfers and poverty alleviation disbursements, it is not surprising that there is no real long- term solution to solve poverty. Worse, poverty is seen only as by-product of corruption: such was Benigno Aquino III’s campaign slogan, such is the continued tagline for what it is that ails the nation. It is corruption not poverty, it is corruption not human rights, it is corruption not a systemic dysfunction that keeps the poor where they are.

That the only thing this connection between corruption and poverty allows is a pipedream of a Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2011-2016 can only be reason to worry. In fact, the PDP all but focuses on the idea of fulfilling the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of eradicating poverty by 2015, by echoing its words: inclusive growth.

But inclusive growth across any nation must mean a reality check. If you live within this nation with eyes wide open, one thing that becomes clear is this truth: our poverty is borne of a slew of human rights that are ignored, deemed irrelevant, and therefore are not dealt with.

PNoy’s PDP does not mention human rights, not once.

read the rest of Parrying With Poverty in CampAIgn of Amnesty International.