Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — About six months before President Benigno Aquino III steps down from office, he reiterated the need for his anti-poverty program to continue.
In a conference on the sustainability of conditional cash transfer (CCT) program on Wednesday (January 13), the president said that sustaining the cash subsidy program would depend on his successor.
The CCT program of the government gives financial aid to poorest families—to keep their children in school, to receive maternal health care, and to complete check-ups for children for their monitored growth.
The government, through the program, aims to increase the productivity of the poor by having competitive children—who would hopefully break the cycle of poverty in their family in the future.
The conference, on the other hand, aims to propose improvements, discuss lessons learned from the program, and develop an agenda for future beneficiaries.
Opposing administrations sustain CCT
Aquino’s predecessor, former president and now Lubao Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo first introduced the CCT program in 2008— known as Ahon Pamilyang Pilipino program.
Same system was adopted and was even expanded by the Aquino administration, and was dubbed as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P’s).
The program has been a subject of controversy and debates in both chambers of Congress, especially when Aquino proposed its expansion.
Critics claimed that the program has been used by the administration to further the interests of the ruling party and to promote their candidates.
About 4.4 million households or 22 million Filipinos are now beneficiaries.
According to the social welfare department, 1.5 million Filipino households have been raised above the poverty line because of CCT.
The number of out of school youths has also declined with 10.8 million children as beneficiaries.
This year, 4.6 million families will be added to the program as the budget for CCT increased to P62.7 billion.
The Asian Development bank will still be giving additional financing of US $400 million through loan.
Social welfare secretary Dinky Soliman said the government is now working on fastracking the delivery of cash grants to beneficiaries especially to those living in isolated areas.
Delayed payment of cash grants currently affects 200,000 families. It takes about four to six months before the cash grants reach them.
