Senator Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, Partido Reporma standard bearer, on Friday, Oct. 29 said he would push for the reinvention of all cash assistance programs of the government, particularly the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), should he win the May 2022 presidential elections.

In the third episode of “Online Kumustahan,” Lacson underscored the need to streamline government spending on the provision of cash grants or ‘ayuda’ for poor Filipino families to further alleviate their living conditions.

“Dapat ‘pag nagbigay tayo ng ayuda may purpose. Hindi ‘yung ayuda lang na pantawid, dapat bigyan mo ng ayuda na pang-ahon. Ibig sabihin, tinulungan mo para maging productive, para makapagsimula ng livelihood (Cash assistance must have a purpose, not just as a form of relief, but also something that can uplift. What we mean is that you help them [poor Filipino families} become more productive by way of livelihood),’’ Lacson told hundreds of Mexico (Pampanga) residents who physically attended his “Online Kumustahan” gathering. The gathering was also livestreamed on his social media platforms.

Lacson said all kinds of state-funded cash assistance programs being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at present must be enhanced to help poor Filipino families improve their quality of lives.

“Hindi talaga purely ayuda na itatawid lang ang pamilya. Kailangan may balik. Dapat bukod sa tatawid, dapat aahon din ang kanilang kalagayan (It’s not just purely assistance for the short-term relief of the family. It must be sustained. Apart from giving them relief, you must lift them out of ),” Lacson pointed out.

Also, grants or assistance being provided to senior citizens must be reviewed as well, which would further boost the condition of the elder members of society, according to the Partido Reporma standard-bearer, he added.

“Dapat merong programa para maging productive pa rin ang ating mga senior (We need to have a program so that our seniors can also be productive),” the senator said, hinting the government could still do more to help our seniors.

Lacson said there are about 16 social service programs currently being implemented by the government through the DSWD, including 4Ps and other financial assistance programs for senior citizens.

“I think merong mahigit P1-bilyon kada taon para doon sa assistance para sa senior citizens. Lahat ‘yan, binilang namin ‘yung social services na nasa pangangalaga ng DSWD, binilang namin 16 programa bukod pa sa 4Ps (I think more than P1 billion is being allocated every year for the assistance of senior citizens. We counted all the social services projects under the supervision of DSWD, there about 16 in total, aside from the 4Ps),’’ he said.

Since 2016, Lacson said, the government has spent at least a half-trillion pesos for the 4Ps alone.

“Alam niyo ba itong 4Ps mula nang magsimula (ang administrasyong ito) binilang namin mula 2016 or 2017 hanggang ngayon ay halos kalahating trilyon na. Pero ang tanong ay meron bang naidulot o may umasenso ba?” (Did you know that this 4Ps, since the current administration took place, it has already spent almost half a trillion pesos between 2016 or 2017? But the question remains, did we achieve our desired results?),’’ he asked.

The 4Ps is a human development measure of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor. It started in 2008 and was a flagship poverty alleviation program of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.