CCT is no pork barrel–Soliman

Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman: No pork barrel. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman over the weekend denied reports the government’s conditional cash transfer (CCT) program was being utilized like a pork barrel for patronage purposes and has been lost to corruption.

In a statement, Soliman said the funds for the cash grants to beneficiaries of the CCT, also known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), were deposited in Landbank of the Philippines and did not pass through the hands of any DSWD official or staffer.

She said the cash assistance was paid directly by Landbank to the beneficiaries through cash cards, over-the-counter transactions, Globe Remit, rural banks, PhilPost, First Consolidated Bank and cooperative financial institutions.

IBON Foundation had earlier accused the DSWD of using the CCT for patronage politics, citing the 2012 Commission on Audit (COA) report which raised concerns about the management of the fund.

Soliman countered that the COA’s concerns had already been addressed and resolved by the DSWD.

On the COA’s observation that disbursements for grants remained unliquidated, Soliman said that of the P3.76 billion unliquidated grants mentioned in the audit report as of the end of 2011, only P44 million remained unliquidated as of Sept. 30.

Of the P3.44 billion paid to grantees from 2008 to 2011, only P1.647 billion as of Sept. 30 had not been liquidated, Soliman said.

She explained that the process of liquidation required the documentation of the cash payouts from the Landbank and would be a continuing activity until the payouts were fully accounted for.

Of the 7,782 household-beneficiaries reportedly “missing” from their rolls, Soliman said 7,762 households were accounted for and were now on active beneficiary status.

On the payment of P29 million to beneficiaries in July and August 2012 for calamity support, Soliman said this was made on the basis of the DSWD-approved force majeure declaration as stipulated in the Pantawid Pamilya operations manual.

On doubts on the existence of some P27.7 million so-called PODER projects, Soliman said 25 projects under PODER were all functional. The projects, which include health stations, school buildings and day care centers, were located in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur; Sta. Josefa, Agusan del Sur; Tubajon, Dinagat Island[ and Sta. Monica, Surigao del Norte.

On the 36 bank accounts containing P112.8 million which were supposedly opened without legal basis, the DSWD said it had closed six bank accounts and remitted P5.2 million to the Bureau of the Treasury on June 14.

Another six bank accounts will be closed before the end of October, with accumulated balances totalling P1,962,430.43, Soliman said. She added that the remaining 24 bank accounts holding P105,605,702.95 were currently being reviewed and evaluated.

“If there is no need for them, rest assured the balances of the accounts shall be remitted to the Bureau of the Treasury or the funding institution and (the DSWD) will effect the immediate closure of these bank accounts as recommended by the COA,” Soliman said.