Urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap or Kadamay trooped to the Alay Lakad para Isabatas ang 4Ps today. These Alay Lakad activities have been going on quite some time and have spurred media attention when reports came in that those who would not attend from communities would receive cuts in their Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Stipend. Beneficiaries from North Caloocan were present at today’s activity, they marched from Fairview along commonwealth and stopped at the Commission on Audit, Batasan Road and the UP Technohub.
Kadamay unfurled their banners at the activity slamming the use of 4Ps as an LP campaigning tool and a legalized vote-buying scheme especially in the grassroots. Reports and eyewitness accounts of beneficiaries being coerced into becoming machineries for the Daang Matuwid surfaced as well as discrediting progressive groups who have been critical of the program’s unsustainability.
Estrelieta “Ka Inday” Bagasabas, Vice Chairperson of Kadamay and beneficiary of the 4Ps said that “Ginagamit ang mga mahihirap para sa interes ng gobyernong Aquino. Panay kampanya ang iniintindi, walang pakialam sa tunay na kalagayan ng mga mahihirap. Kung ikaw ay beneficiary, wala kang choice kundi maging supporter ni Mar at Leni dahil kung hindi may banta na mawawalan ka ng stipend. Ginigipit at sinasamantala ang hirap nang kalagayan ng mga maralita para sa boto.”
She was referring to Noynoy Aquino’s time spent campaigning when urgent matters such as the drought affecting other poor Filipinos intensified.
The group also noted the program’s propensity for generating a greater debt burden that will be paid in full by poor Filipinos not covered by the program. Only around 25 million Filipinos receive stipends, not even all receive the full amount yet there are around 67 million poor at present according to the latest Family Income and Expenditure Survey.
Bagasbas added that “matagal nang hindi nagtagumpay ang programang ito. Lalo lamang lalala ang katiwalian sa iba’t ibang antas. Limos na nga lang ito ng pamahalaan gagamitin pa sa katiwalian.”
Coupled with recent COMELEAK fiasco, Bagasbas said that the elections is fast losing credibility and challenged COMELEC to investigate these matters further. They asserted that the poor should be safeguarded from these types of patronage politics.
Moreover Bagasbas explained that long term solutions must be implemented. “Marami sa aming maralita ay wala naming regular na trabaho. Iyung mapalad na mayroon, mababa naman ang sahod. Sa pangmatagalan, hindi kailangan ang 4Ps kasi dumadami pa din ang mahihirap at lalo na kung gagamitin lamang parang diktahan kami. Ang kailangan, regular na trabaho, dagdag sahod at serbisyong libre na wala nang kundisyon.”
Kadamay said that all of its forces will join the upcoming May one mobilization calling for a regular employment and an implementation of the P750 national minimum wage. ###
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