Give budget to job programs, not dole-outs, opposition leaders say

The billions of pesos intended for the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) should be channeled to the government’s job creation program, House opposition leaders proposed yesterday.

The CCT program has a budget allocation of 62.35 billion under the 2016 budget of the Department

of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Pushing for the creation of more jobs, the proposal was voiced by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, who heads the House Independent Bloc, and House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna party-list Neri Colmenares. Both said that the Aquino government should invest more in providing decent jobs to Filipinos rather than spending billions to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

“Let us teach our people how to catch fish and not to continuously depend on government resources through the CCT. It is the primary duty of the state to ensure that quality and decent jobs are given to Filipinos. The need for livelihood and jobs are the real concerns now and this is a long-term solution to address the

widespread poverty,” Romualdez, president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa), said.

He maintained that the CCT list of beneficiaries should be overhauled to ensure that the program benefits the intended people, zeroing on the alleged double entries in the database or payroll of the beneficiaries.

DSWD budget

Under the proposed P3.002-trillion national budget next year, the DSWD has been allocated P107.6 billion, P62.35 billion of which is for the CCT program.

‘For vote buying’

Meanwhile, Colmenares warned that the CCT will be used by the Aquino administration for vote buying for the May 2016 general polls.

“The CCT had always been questionable because it is essentially legalized vote buying because it is a means to influence voters and not a means to alleviate poverty,” he said.

“The budget should instead be used for creating jobs and implementing genuine land reform. This would benefit the poor more than the hundreds of billions spent for CCT,” he pointed out.

‘Failed to address poverty’

Colmenares said the dole-out program, which has been implemented since the time of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo failed to address the vicious cycle of poverty.

“Matagal na tayong tumatawid pero di pa rin umaabot sa papuntahan,” he said.

Romualdez earlier lamented that despite reported irregularities, the Aquino government increased the CCT budget this year from P62.6 billion in 2014 to P64.7-billion.

But in an earlier report, DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman had assured that there are measures to ensure that rightful beneficiaries receive assistance under the 4Ps.

‘Scrap CCT program’

In separate interviews, Colmenares’ fellow Makabayan bloc lawmakers –Gabriela Partylist Rep. Luz Ilagan and Kabataan partylist Rep. Terry Ridon renewed calls to scrap the CCT program.

“From the very start we opposed this program. Along the way, we pointed out the anomalies, the problems, the weaknesses of the program. Such a humongous amount, increased every year, has not addressed poverty at all. It should be scrapped. The additional danger is that it will be an election instrument,” Ilagan said.