THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) plan to use cash transfers on farm livelihood projects will take away funding that keeps poor children in school and encourages their families to go for regular health checks.
The DSWD said the cash transfer program, known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), currently gives poor families with children in school P300 per child per month, up to P900; and P500 per month for doctor visits for children and pregnant women.
DSWD Acting Secretary Virginia N. Orogo said in a briefing at Malacañang on Wednesday that she met with Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol to explain where the 4Ps money goes.
In a statement last month, Mr. Piñol said: “My proposal is to use the same amount of money for livelihood projects (to make) 4Ps beneficiaries productive, instead of just (receiving) cash assistance with very little supervision from government.”
He added there should be “a timetable on how long a family would receive livelihood assistance from the government.”
“Under the 4Ps cash grant program, it seems like families who are listed under the program could receive the benefits forever. This deprives other families who also need support from government from benefitting from the program,” Mr. Piñol said.
The 4Ps cash grants, according to Mr. Piñol, “have taken away from ordinary people the drive to work, especially in the countryside, where many beneficiaries just wait for their cash grants rather than look for other income-earning opportunities. The result of this is very low agricultural and fisheries productivity. I know that the 4Ps issue is a very touchy and controversial issue, especially among our political leaders. Many other political leaders share my views and thoughts on the amount of money being splurged by government on the program which could have been used for productive endeavors.”
Asked to comment on Mr. Piñol’s plans, Ms. Orogo said she has “never encountered a family that has become idle and dependent” after receiving about P1,400 a month.” — Arjay L. Balinbin
