MANILA, Philippines – Humirit ang Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) nitong Biyernes, Setyembre 22, sa Kongreso na pondohan ang plano nitong pagdaragdag sa cash grant sa mga benepisyaryo ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) program.
Kasabay ng budget deliberations sa proposed P5.768 trilyon na national budget para sa 2024, sumagot si House Committee on Appropriations vice chairperson Jocy Limkaichong ng Dumaguete matapos tanungin ni Agri party-list Representative Wilbert Lee kung may plano ba ang DSWD na taasan ang kanilang cash grant para sa 4Ps beneficiaries, katulad ng inirekomenda ng state-run Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).
Sinabi ni Lee na sa pag-aaral ng PIDS, ang maximum amount na P31,200 na maaaring matanggap ng pamilyang 4Ps sa loob ng isang taon noong 2019 ay nabawasan ang halaga at naging P14,524 dahil sa lockdown dala ng COVID-19 pandemic.
“The value of P300 in 2019 is already at P366 now. The PIDS’ recommendation is to increase it (4Ps cash grant) by 20%. Is the DSWD going to do this?,” ani Lee.
Sumagot naman dito si Limkaichong at sinabing, “The National Advisory Council (NAC) [where the DSWD is a part of] unanimously approved that [PIDS recommendation and they agree with the proposal [of increasing the cash grant] considering the inflation, effects of COVID-19, resulting in the higher cost of living [now].”
“They (DSWD) made representation with the DBM (Department of Budget and Management), and they are hoping that Congress will put as special provision in the 2024 proposed budget so we can fund this increase under the unprogrammed fund since this PIDS finding came out after the National Expenditure Program [budget call] was done,” ipinunto pa ni Limkaichong.
“Gustong gustong gawin ito ng DSWD, and they can do the increase by us [in Congress] putting a special provision to allow additional augmentation for that to be taken from an unprogrammed fund,” dagdag pa niya.
Ang unprogrammed fund ay tumutukoy sa budget items na mapopondohan lamang kung may sumobra sa target government revenues para sa nasabing taon, at subject for approval pa ng DBM.
Tinanggap naman ni Lee ang komento ni Limkaichong at hiniling sa DSWD na magpasa ng fine print ng proposed increase nito para sa 4Ps cash grant upang makagawa siya ng mosyon na tanggapin ang hiling ng DSWD sa nararapat na panahon.
Binanggit din ni Lee na ang pagtataas sa cash grants ay nakaayon naman sa Section 10 ng Republic Act 11310 o 4Ps Act, na nag-aatas sa PIDS “to recommend to the NAC whether the cash grants should be adjusted to its present value using the consumer price index, as published by the Philippine Statistics Authority, provided that the NAC should ensure that the grant amounts are sufficient to make a positive impact on the health, nutrition, and education of the beneficiaries and are timely received and spent by the beneficiaries.”
“The 4Ps food pie is changing and resulting in them eating noodles every day. We have to help them,” ani Lee.
Ang alokasyon para sa 4Ps sa proposed 2024 budget ay nasa P112 bilyon. RNT/JGC
