For one entire day – from 6 p.m., October 15 until 6 p.m., October 16 - one million Filipinos from all walks of life – students, teachers, priests, nuns, government workers, private employees, indigenous peoples, musicians and artists – will join millions of others worldwide to pledge themselves to make poverty history by 2015. This event is part of the UN month celebration.

Launched by the UN Millennium Campaign, STAND UP is a global advocacy effort to have the greatest number of people ever to STAND UP Against Poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Within a 24-hour period, people from all over the globe will physically and symbolically STAND UP to communicate their desire to fight poverty. This is also expected to set an official Guinness World Record.

The Millennium Development Goals or MDGs are a set of eight time-bound, concrete and specific targets to halve extreme poverty by 2015. These goals are: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop global partnerships for development.

The Philippine campaign, dubbed TUMAYO TAYO: Labanan Ang Kahirapan, Tuparin Ang MDGs is spearheaded by the United Nations System, together with partners from government, civil society, NGOs, the business sector, academe and the mass media. Tumayo Tayo is only one of many events connected with the commemoration of the UN month this October. Activities on the ground will consist of:

• Tumayo Tayo Moments during Flag-Raising Ceremonies in Malacañang, government agencies and schools - Through the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA), there will be simultaneous flag-raising ceremonies to be conducted on the morning of October 16. At 7:30 a.m., President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will lead a flag-raising ceremony in Malacañang (attended by the UN Country Team) with a Tumayo Tayo Moment which features reading the pledge to stand up against poverty. At 8:30 a.m., simultaneous flag-raising ceremonies will take place in the Senate, Congress and the Supreme Court with a Tumayo Tayo Moment.

• The Tumayo Tayo Festival, as the central event from October 15-16, at the Marikina Freedom Park. This will consist of cultural shows; concerts with local pop bands, performers, artists, and dancers; exhibits; workshops; and presentations - all highlighting the MDGs. There will be Tumayo Tayo Moments all throughout the Festival, with the audience standing up and pledging to make poverty history. News feeds, greetings and official counts from the other Tumayo Tayo events around the country will also be flashed from time to time in the Festival venue.

• Local Tumayo Tayo Events in different regions and provinces, including Baguio City, Los Baños, Laguna, Sultan Kudarat, Tawi-Tawi and Sulu.

For those who want to join the Tumayo Tayo Event, please register your organization’s name
at www.millenniumcampaign.ph.

The Philippine STAND UP network consists of all United Nations organizations in the Philippines and 64 partner organizations and institutions. Further inquiries can be directed to: Ms. Agnes Aliman (UNDP) – 901-0230/ agnes.aliman@undp.org; Mr. JP Agcaoili (UNDP) - 901-0241/ johnpete.agcaoili@undp.org; Ms. Charmaine Cu-Unjieng (UNRC) - 901-0401/ charmaine.cu-unjieng@undp.org; and, Ms. Mari Achacoso – 338-5522/ achacosom@unicmanila.org.