P44-B CCT program to face Senate scrutiny today

The government's P44.26-billion flagship poverty alleviation program will face scrutiny of a Senate panel today (Tuesday), announced Senate Finance Committee chairman Senator Franklin M. Drilon.

The Senate Committee on Finance that is reviewing the proposed P2.006-trillion national expenditure in 2013 is expected to grill the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) over the implementation of the conditional cash transfer program (CCT), also known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

"We must emphasize that this program is not strictly a poverty alleviation program but bridge towards alleviating poverty by investing to education and health of the children," Drilon said.

"The CCT program will get an increase of 12.2 percent from its 2012 allocation of P39.45 billion to benefit additional 700,000 households in 2013," said Drilon, noting that this year's beneficiaries have already reached 3,106,979.

CCT or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) provides cash grants to beneficiaries to be used for health and nutrition and for educational expenses, noted Drilon. The beneficiaries were identified through the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction.

It provides a monthly stipend composed of up to P1,400, on condition that they send or keep their children in school, that their children receive immunization and that mothers avail of pre-natal and other check-ups, added Drilon.

"The allocation for CCT program is 78.8 percent of the total proposed budget of the DSWD amounting P56.2 billion," said Drilon.

With the proposed budget, the DSWD is committed to implement other social protection programs aside from CCT such as the pension program to senior citizens which has a budget of P1.53 billion in 2013 and feeding program for daycare children amounting P2.96 billion, said Drilon.