37 solons oppose Aquino’s conditional cash transfer program

Thirty-seven lawmakers, most of whom are allies of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, formally opposed on Monday the allocation of P21.9 billion to the conditional cash transfer program of the administration.

In a manifesto, the legislators said they would work for the realignment of funds intended for the CCT to the construction of schools hospitals, health centers, housing programs, agriculture and others that directly address the needs of the poor for jobs, livelihood and services.

“We, the undersigned, express our opposition to the allocation of P21.9 billion for Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs) in the 2011 General Appropriations Act at the expense of more vital social and economic services,” they said.

They said the amount appropriated under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development represents a two-fold increase from the P10 billion allocated to the same program in 2010.

“(It indicates) that CCTs have become the Aquino administration’s main strategy for poverty alleviation,” they said.

They questioned the wisdom of allotting such a substantial portion of government’s scarce resources to CCTs given the grave lack of funds for basic social services and economic services.

“The (CCT is) a costly palliative, an unsustainable program of dole-outs that will perpetuate the politics of patronage and encourage a culture of mendicancy. CCTs cannot take the place of a long-term strategy that addresses the root causes of poverty through asset redistribution and job generation,” the lawmakers said.

The manifesto will be presented to the House leadership for consideration. The chamber has 278 members, 52 of whom are partylist representatives.

The House members earlier sought a separate plenary vote on the implementation of CCT, however Speaker Feliciano Belmonte thumbed down the proposal and assured that the program will get the nod of the chamber.

House majority bloc members who affixed their signature to the manifesto were:

# Cebu Rep. Gabriel Quisumbing
# San Juan Rep. Jose Victor Ejercito
# Pangasinan Rep. Kimi S. Cojuangco
# Cebu Rep. Pablo P. Garcia
# Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo M. Angara
# Abono Rep. Robert Estrella
# Agham Rep. Angelo Palmones
# Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano
# ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio L. Tinio
# Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy A. Casino
# Senior Citizens Rep. Godofredo V. Arquiza
# Senior Citizens Rep. David Kho
# Gabriela Rep. Emmi A. de Jesus
# PBA Rep. Mark Aeron Sambar
# Una ang Pamilya Rep. Reena Concepcion G. Obillo
# Abante Mindanao Rep. Maximo B. Rodriguez Jr.
# Isabela Rep. Randolph Ting
# Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Javier Colmenares
# Marinduque Rep. Allan Velasco
# Camarines Sur Rep. Luis R. Villafuerte
# ABS Rep. Catalina G. Leonen-Pizarro
# Gabriela Rep Luzviminda Ilagan
# Sultan Kudarat Rep. Arnulfo F. Go
# An Waray Rep Neil Montejo
# Kabataan Rep. Raymond Palatino
# A-Teacher Rep. Julieta R. Cortuna
# DIWA Rep. Emmeline Y. Aglipay
# A-Teacher Rep. Mariano U. Piamonte
# AVE Rep. Eulogio R. Magsaysay
# North Cotabato Rep. Nancy Catamco
# Kasangga Rep. Teodorico T. Haresco
# Coop-Natcco Rep. Jose R. Ping-ay
# Palawan Rep. Antonio Alvarez;

The members of the House minority bloc who signed the manifesto were:

# Nueva Viscaya Rep. Carlos M. Padilla;
# Zambales Rep. Ma Milagros Magsaysay;
# Surigao del Sur Rep. Philip Pichay, and
# Dave del Sur Rep Marc Douglas Cagas.

–AMITA LEGASPI, GMANews.TV