Dinky’s additional P2B for CCT bucked

At this time, the word from the chairman of the Senate finance committee, Sen. Franklin Drilon, a staunch ally of President Aquino, is that he isn’t quite buying the appeal of the social services secretary for an additional P2 billion for the already controversial conditional cash transfer (CCT), although bets are on that when Aquino gives the Liberal Party senators the marching order to approve it, they will do so.

But as of now, Drilon says he is not about to back up the call for the additional P2 billion funding this year in the controversial CCT program, noted by many as a out-an-out doleout program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, under its secretary, Corazon “Dinky” Soliman.

“No, I’m not ready to give my endorsement,” Drilon told reporters after conducting an inquiry into on the status and implementation of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) relative to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino (PPP) Program which is now dubbed as CCT under the Aquino administration.

“That’s a major concern. I don’t know where we will source the funds for this purpose. We have yet to touch on that, where the funds would come from or what funds to tap. It’s not that easy to come up with an additional P2 billion in our budget, you know,” he said.

In the proceedings by the finance committee jointly with the oversight committee on public expenditures, Soliman asked that Congress provide her office the additional funds for the CCT due to a shortfall of an estimated P2 billion following an increased in number of beneficiaries.

Soliman reported that the DSWD had already disbursed some P4 billion to 1.6 million families since January but needs P2 billion more to reach target beneficiaries in all provinces, except Batanes.

The program provides cash subsidies to poor families to buy medicine and basic necessities and in exchange, parents have to ensure that they keep their children in schools.

While Drilon is exploring the possibility of the additional funding coming from a supplemental budget, which would require Congress’ approval, this might prove to be problematic and tedious task.

A supplemental budget must be accompanied by a certification from the National Treasurer as to the availability of funds.

“Then we examine the need for that (availability of funds) at this point. We have not gone into that. They have asked for additional budget. There might be a need for a supplemental budget. A certification from the National Treasurer is required. We really need to scrutinize first id there’s a need to provide for an additional P2 billion,” he said.

While it’s one alternative to address the concern of the DSWD, Drilon said the expectations might be very high, he’s advising the agency to just “stick to its program at this point.”

“I do not know the status of our finances at this time,” he added.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who attended the hearing, also noted the need to look for P2 billion more for the CCT subsidy based on the testimony given by DSWD officials at the hearing.

“That’s what they said. I think their original P17 billion plus program was based on their calculated registered beneficiaries. But they have added additional ones through the registration system so they have to cover that,” Enrile said.

He, however, declined to give his assessment of the controversial subsidy program where poor families get P300 each for a maximum of three school-aged kids plus P500 for the mother, provided the children remain enrolled in schools. But apparently, conditions have been breached, since it was admitted that the dole-out is being used for food.

“We have to wait for their report because they have just started implementing the program. What they have reported so far is for the period January to June and they have until December. We have check it in a period of one year. When we check, we have to go back because the program started in 2008. They should be able to give us an update about the improvement, if any, as a result of the program,” Enrile added. –Angie M. Rosales, Daily Tribune