A rural town in the southern Philippines has launched a community-based poverty mapping initiative that brings together Indigenous leaders, local government officials, and Church partners as part of a nationwide campaign to reduce poverty by 2030.

Friends of Saint Mary MacKillop, Inc. (FSMMI), a Philippines-based nonprofit working with marginalized children and youth, has begun Phase 1 of its Zero Poverty PH 2030 program in Siayan, a municipality in Zamboanga del Norte province on the island of Mindanao.

The initiative positions the town as a local convenor of the broader Zero Poverty PH 2030 campaign, which seeks to improve incomes and expand access to essential social services for 100,000 Filipino families by 2030.

The first phase, called Social Understanding for Responsive Interventions (SURI), will run from February to March 2026 across 10 barangays, or villages. Organizers said the process aims to gather in-depth community data and insights to guide responsive and sustainable programs tailored to local needs.

FSMMI introduced the program during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Siayan Mayor’s Conference Hall. Participants included the town’s local chief executive, vice mayor, Municipal Local Government Operations Officer, barangay captains, the Tribal Chieftain and Municipal Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative, members of the Tribal Council of Elders, and representatives from the Philippine National Police, the Department of Education, the Philippine Army and St. Isidore the Farmer Parish.

“As Tribal Chieftain and Municipal IPMR, I am overjoyed that FSMMI continues to support our indigenous children’s education. With Zero Poverty, we have renewed hope to face challenges and thrive. This program inspires us to work together for a brighter future,” said Timuay Labi Johnny C. Anugon Sr.

Rey Anugon, FSMMI national president and project manager, described the organization’s role as local convenor as an effort to strengthen cross-sector collaboration.

“We are thrilled to be a local convenor of Zero Poverty 2030 in Siayan. This initiative allows us to unite partners, address challenges head-on, and build a stronger, more resilient community. Together, we can make a meaningful impact,” he said.

Mayor Alberto Bongcawel expressed support for the program.

“Thank you for choosing Siayan to be part of Zero Poverty PH 2030. I’m grateful for this chance to uplift our community. Let’s unite and work together towards prosperity and success,” he said.

FSMMI founder and CEO Fr. Dean Klayford Bongat framed poverty reduction as a shared responsibility.

“Service is never a monopoly. It is our shared calling, a collaboration and not a competition. Poverty is not the burden of a distant few—it is a battle that touches us all. And it is only through togetherness that we can rise, overcome, and claim our victory,” Bongat said.

Guided by the principle, “Never see a need without doing something about it,” FSMMI said it continues to work in underserved communities through education, livelihood development, and community-based programs.