Sen. Nancy Binay. INQUIRER.net/HOTARU NIITSU
BALER, Aurora—Senator Nancy Binay denied that she is against the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), which her father, opposition candidate Jejomar Binay, wants to expand and improve if he wins as president.
In an interview during Binay’s campaign sortie here, Sen. Binay said she never opposed the implementation of the dole-out program, also known as the conditional cash transfer.
Sen. Binay said she even conducted a hearing over Sen. Ralph Recto’s proposed bill to integrate the 4Ps in the national budget.
“Walang katotohanan na I opposed it. In fact, I conducted a hearing kasi si Senator Ralph Recto, meron siyang proposed bill making 4Ps as a part of the budget already,” Binay said.
(It is not true that I opposed it. In fact, I conducted a hearing because Senator Ralph Recto had a proposed bill making the funds for 4Ps part of the budget already.)
Sen. Binay said she had ordered investigated the 4Ps after some homeless families who happened to be CCT beneficiaries were reportedly rounded up by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and sent to a camping activity in a Batangas resort during the visit of Pope Francis.
BACKSTORY: Probe vs probe: Nancy to hold inquiry on CCT
Sen. Binay made the reaction to Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas’ statement that Vice President Binay is riding on the 4Ps, which President Benigno Aquino III has continued in his administration, when his daughter Nancy had opposed it, and his ally Senator Juan Ponce Enrile even reduced the allotted budget of the 4Ps by P8 billion.
“Well, palagay ko mas maganda na tingnan na lang natin ang record sa Senado. Si Senador Nancy Binay mismo ang isa sa mga nag kwestiyon nito. Ang kanyang kaalyado, si dating Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile kinaltasan ito binawasan ito nang walong bilyong piso. Mga ilang daang libong pamilya ang hindi naging kabahagi nang 4Ps dahil binawasan nga itong pondong ito sa senado at ang nanguna nito ay ‘yung mga matataas na opisyal ng UNA na siyang kaalyado at tumutulak sa kandidatura ni Vice President Binay,” Roxas said, referring to Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance party.
(I think it’s better to just look at the records in the Senate. Senator Nancy Binay herself questioned the program. Her ally, former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile slashed its budget by P8 billion. Several hundred thousands of families were excluded from the 4Ps because the Senate cut its budget, and leading that effort were the high-ranking officials of UNA who are the ones pushing for the candidacy of Vice President Binay.)
Roxas said Binay’s promise to expand the CCT when his party members opposed it shows the Binay camp’s inconsistency, similar to when Binay claimed his family was too poor to afford medication for his cancer-stricken mother when he was young but in fact his family has some properties.
“So ang masasabi ko lang ay, Vice President Binay ano ba talaga? Tulad nu’ng mga kabaluktutan na sinasabi mo dati, sabi mo dati na kinalulungkot natin na namatay ang nanay mo raw dahil hindi makabili nang gamot. Doon sa debate sa Cagayan de Oro sinabi mo na ipinamana sayo ang mga lupain mula sa iyong ina. So, ano ba talaga ang katotohanan?’ Roxas said.
(Vice President Binay, what is the truth? You initially claimed that your mother died because you did not have the money to buy her medicine. But in the debate in Cagayan de Oro, you said that you inherited land from your mother. What is the truth?)
READ: Binay threatens foes using 4Ps for politics
“Sinasabi mo ngayon susuportahan mo ang Daang Matuwid, susuportahan mo ang 4Ps, punto ang anak mo, ang mga kaalyado mo ang s’yang nagki-criticize at humaharang dito sa 4Ps na ito. So ano ba talaga?” he added.
(You said that you would support that the Righteous Path and the 4Ps, but it was your own daughter and your own allies who are criticizing and blocking the 4Ps.) IDL