More Pinoys enrolled in CCT, says Palace

MANILA, Philippines – The government is close to achieving its target number of beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer program.

Malacañang bared this yesterday, adding that the early ratification of proposed national budget for 2012 would allow government to spend more on social services and other programs that could generate jobs.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said 2,232,839 household beneficiaries were already registered in the “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino “ as of October this year.

“We are near in achieving the target of 2.3 million household beneficiaries for 2011. And to those who are asking, there’s a good number of persons with disabilities who are direct beneficiaries of 4Ps program,” Valte said.

She said they were hoping that the General Appropriations Act for 2012 would be signed before the end of the year to bankroll government projects.

“As what Speaker (Feliciano) Belmonte said, the timely passage, the timely ratification (of the proposed budget) is a vote of confidence for President Aquino. What does this mean to ordinary citizens? The government, your government will be able to start spending as early as January,” Valte said over radio dzRB.

“The projects of various agencies will start moving. Once the projects begin moving, there will of course be additional jobs for our fellowmen. And at least it’s not like before when projects get delayed because the (funds) come when the rainy season has begun, which makes it difficult (for construction projects to be done). So, at least everything will be on time,” she said.

The Senate and the House of Representatives ratified the bicameral conference committee report of the proposed P1.816-trillion national budget for 2012 on Tuesday.

Senate finance committee chairman Franklin Drilon said the President is expected to sign the measure into law on Dec. 15.

Meanwhile, Valte advised opposition lawmakers, whose pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) have not been released, to talk to Belmonte.

Valte said she would also ask the Department of Budget and Management about the matter.

Earlier reports said minority lawmakers accused Budget Secretary Florencio Abad of withholding their pork barrel for political reasons.

House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman said there was no reason for Abad to delay the release of their pork barrel because it was the President who ordered the release of the funds to lawmakers regardless of party affiliation.

Each lawmaker receives P70 million PDAF which is released in two tranches. –Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star)