Aquino gov’t to increase cash dole-outs to poor by P17B to P39B

MANILA, Philippines—The Aquino government is seeking a P17-billion increase in funding for 2012 as it hopes to bring the direct subsidy program to more poor Filipino families.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman said on Tuesday that government would seek a P39-billion budget for the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program for 2012, up from this year’s P21.9 billion.

“We are proposing P39 billion because we have to continue to provide for 2.3 million [families],” said Soliman at a press briefing at the Philippine Information Agency on Tuesday.

Currently, the CCT program, originally implemented by the Arroyo administration, has some 2.3 million registered beneficiary families said to be among some 4.6 million of the “poorest of the poor” Filipino households.

The program provides direct education and health subsidies for families who comply with certain conditions, including regular school attendance for children and regular health center visits for mothers.

With government already “ahead of the target” in reaching out to beneficiaries, Soliman expressed confidence in getting the support of Congress for sustained CCT funding.

“I am an optimist so I am optimistic,” said Soliman.

“I think there is enough basis for us to show that we have been able to utilize the fund on track,” said Soliman.

Government has so far disbursed P6 billion to beneficiary families, said the official.

Some 155,000 beneficiary families have meanwhile been purged from government’s CCT list as some were found to be not qualified while others volunteered to be removed from the list “because they don’t really need it,” Soliman said.