The proposed 2022 P191 billion budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will go to the wringer should it agree to a recommendation of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) that no ‘’ayuda’’ (financial assistance) would be given to 4P beneficiaries who refuse to be vaccinated.

This was the threat of Senator Imee Marcos, chairwoman or the Senate Economic Affairs committee and vice chairwoman of the Senate finance committee, as the Senate begins Wednesday, Nov. 9 its floor deliberations on the proposed 2022 P5 trillion national budget.

The task given by the Senate leadership to Marcos is to sponsor and defend the proposed budget of DSWD next rival year.

There are other senators assigned to scrutinize the budgets of the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary branches of government, and constitutional offices.

Marcos had warned DSWD that senators are against the ‘’no vaccine, no ayuda’' recommendation.

Of the proposed P191 billion budget for the DSWD, P115 billion will go to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

The DSWD was reported studying the DILG recommendation.

Marcos, daughter of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos, dubbed the DILG recommendation as ‘’stupid’’ and ‘’evil idea.’’

She said government must first determine whether the 4Ps beneficiaries really refuse to be vaccinated or that vaccines have not yet been delivered to their areas.

Marcos stressed that it is not the fault of 4Ps beneficiaries if the 45 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines are just stored in bodegas (depots) or that there are no transport and cold storage facilities of local government units (LGUs).

She pointed out that the Philippines has so far logged 26 percent of citizens vaccinated.

This means that a majority (74 percent) have not been vaccinated, she said.

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