Tomorrow, July 15, 10:00 AM
Kadamay will stage a demonstration in front of the DSWD head office, at IBP Road, Batasan Hills, Quezon City, and seek a dialogue with department officials. The following news release describes the issues that the group will take on.
Kindly contact Jon Vincent Marin, Kadamay PIO, at 0910.975.7660
The urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) assailed the proposals of DSWD that seek to extend the cash transfer program of the past administration and the removal of rice subsidy which are said to be approved in principle by President Aquino.
“Kung ito nga ang ipapatupad ng administrasyon ni Aquino, hindi ito lumalayo sa mga programa ng nakaraang rehimeng Arroyo na hindi naman nagresolba sa problema ng kahirapan,” said Carlito Badion, Kadamay vice chair.
The group said the extension of 4Ps program is a brainchild of the ADB under the Arroyo administration and got an ADB loan providing funds for the extension of the program as early as April 2010. DSWD Dinky Soliman recently announced the extension of 4Ps.
“Ang 4Ps ay lalo lamang magbabaon sa mamamayang Pilipino sa higit pang kahirapan dahil lalo lamang itong magtatali sa dikta ng mga dayuhang bangko at financial institutions katulad ng ADB. Mangangahulugan ito ng mas malalim na hukay sa hinaharap,” Badion further said.
Aside from getting funding from foreign loan, the expansion of the CCT program will be funded by increasing the VAT from 12% to 15% if the NEDA proposal will be approved.
NEDA announced on June 30 that they plan to recommend the expansion of the CCT program to President Aquino, from the existing one million beneficiary-families to the full five million under the government's poverty line.
"Kung itataas ang VAT, parang ipinasan din sa mga mahihirap ang pagbabayad ng mga benepisyong dapat matatamasa nila. dapat pa ngang kagyat na ipawalang-bisa ng administrasyon ang EVAT na ipinatupad sa ilalim ng administrasyong Arroyo."
The group also assailed government plans to remove its rice-subsidy and 'food-for-school' programs -- prompting the group to question the sincerity of the new administration in giving immediate relief to poverty-stricken population.
The Department of Finance (DoF) announced this week that a decision has been reached for government to stop subsidizing the price of rice, and let market forces alone determine prices. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) likewise announced that the scrapping of the 'food-for-school' program, which gives one kilo of rice per day to children in public schools, has been agreed upon "in principle".
The departments justified the removal of these programs with the planned expansion of the CCT. The new policies await President Aquino's final approval.
"Sa usapin ng rice subsidy, dapat pa ngang lakihan ng gobyerno ang subsidy sa bigas upang magkaroon ng muurang bigas para sa mamamayan, at hindi lamang sa limitadong bilang na may hawak ng family access cards.
"Dapat muling ibalik ang P18.25-kada-kilong bigas sa mga pamilihan, para makabili nito ang higit na nakararami. Palakihin pa ang subsidyo sa halip na tanggalin."
The group also said that even if the coverage of the CCT is eventually increased to five million families, a significant number of the poor will still be "left out." This is because the government uses a very low poverty line.
The group proposes that a program for 'unemployment assistance' be crafted in order to help unemployed and underemployed members of poor families to find jobs. ##
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