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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Tip of the iceberg? Suarez says total of 4Ps beneficiaries deprived by realignments must be known 

Tip of the iceberg? Suarez says total of 4Ps beneficiaries deprived by realignments must be known 

Published Feb 22, 2024 04:38 am

At A Glance

  • Deputy Speaker and Quezon 2nd district Rep. David "Jay-jay" Suare says there is a need to find out the total number of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries who were deprived of government aid due to fund realignments in 2023 and in other years.

20240222_120139.jpgQuezon 2nd district Rep. David "Jay-jay" Suarez (left), Senator Imee Marcos (Facebook)

How much more poor Filipinos were deprived of government aid in the past due to unceremonious budget realignments affecting the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)?

Deputy Speaker and Quezon 2nd district Rep. David “Jay-jay” Suarez wants this question answered and more in the proposed House investigation on the realignment of some P13 billion from the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) 4Ps in 2023.

“I think the question is, dahil inamin ng ating mahal na senador na nagbawas syang pondo [para sa 4Ps], I think ang tanong is, ilang milyong Pilipino ang naapektuhan dahil dun sa pondong nawala?” Suarez said when asked by a reporter during a press conference Wednesday, Feb. 21.

(Since our beloved senator has admitted to slashing the funds meant for 4Ps, the question now is, how many Filipinos were affected due to the reduction of funds?)

He was referring to Senator Imee Marcos, who was recently identified by Assistant Majority Leader Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon as() responsible for the P13-billion realignment.

The move reportedly deprived nearly 900,000 families, or 4.3 million Filipinos, of much-needed "ayuda".

“Ang mas malaking tanong, ilang milyong Pilipino at ilang households ang naapektuhan dahil nailipat 'yung pera at mukhang hindi lang yata noong 2023 nangyari ito,” noted Suarez.

(The bigger question is, how many million more Filipinos and households were affected by the fund realignment, which doesn't seem to be isolated to 2023.)

Senator Marcos, in a statement, admitted to recommending that some P8 billion in 4Ps funding be realigned to other DSWD programs such as the supplemental feeding, KALAHI-CIDSS, Quick Response Fund for disasters, and AICS during the deliberations of the 2023 national budget in 2022.

MUST READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2024/2/21/please-don-t-slash-dswd-budget-again-solon-respectfully-asks-imee-marcos

“The P5-billion AICS reduction, on the other hand, occurred after I had recommended the amount in the Senate version, but the bicameral removed it for lack of fiscal space post-Covid. Those two amounts - P8 billion plus P5 billion - are perhaps what some befuddled members are referring to,” explained the lady senator.

But Suarez says the 4Ps is not just some government aid project that lawmakers can tinker with, as it is based on a law, Republic Act (RA) No. 11310 or the 4Ps Act.

“Wag natin kakalimutan (Let's not forget), 4Ps is a law. It’s not just a regular program, it’s not just a project that comes and goes. It’s a law. It has specific beneficiaries. It has specific objectives and therefore the funding has to be secured to support the intent of the program,” Suarez stressed.

This is why, he noted, it is incumbent upon the House of Representatives in the exercise of its oversight functions to look into these budget realignments.

Related Tags

imee marcos david Jay-jay suarez 4Ps
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