by ERNESTO T. SOLIDUM
"To break the interdisciplinary poverty cycle that cripples the human spirit could be achieved through generous investment in human capital", said DSWD Western Visayas Reg’l Director Minda B. Brigoli in a presscon held on Tuesday, October 18. The backbone of this social alleviation strategy is Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P’s). This is a Conditional Cash Transfer being given to 23,322 household beneficiaries in 14 towns of Aklan at a total sum of P121,647,300. It started in 2009, it is due to expire in 2013.
The 4P’s is designed to effect poverty reduction among targeted families to improve their health, nutrition and education particularly children aged 0-14 years. A household of three (3) children receives subsidy of P1,400/month during the school year or P15,000 annually as long as they comply with the stipulated condition. In Aklan, early recipient towns are Libacao and Madalag which started in 2009, Balete and Banga in 2010 and another 10 towns in 2011.
Aklan is gripped by high poverty incidence of 38.1 percent in 2009, the most unusual in Western Visayas despite its vibrant tourism industry. Preliminary assessment by World Bank officials as to target accomplishment reported 86 percent successful for health and 99 percent for education. Phenomenal result was on reduction of prevalence of mal-nutrition from 3 to 1.28 percent in Libacao. Aklan has 430 Day Care Centers with 11,303 preschoolers enrolled, reported Ms. Elma Malbas, Provincial Social Welfare Officer.
In a concerted battle, Gov. Carlito S. Marquez has replicated the 4P’s launched on October 6, 2011 that benefits 25 kids at Kalibo Elem. School. Each child is allotted P300/month plus school supplies and uniform.
Other converging programs of DSWD are: a) SEA-Kaunlaran that provides livelihood and capability building program for 675 benefi-ciaries totaling P3.35 million, b) Supplemental feeding – 11,593 beneficia-ries with P18.69 million, c) Social Pension – 1,017 beneficiaries with P2.4 million; and d) Cash for work – 16,001 beneficiaries with P33.0 million.
Supplemental feeding targets malnourished pre-schoolers 0-5 years old spending P12.50/child/day for 120 days. Social pension targets indigent senior citizens who are neglected and sickly with P400/month. Cash for work is in closed coordination with DPWH based on Memorandum of Agreement allocating five (5) percent of total work force in roads and bridges maintenance done by DSWD beneficiaries.
At the national level, 4’Ps program has reached 2.2 million families from a target of 5.2 million. The initial funding is P22 billion for the five (5) year poverty reduction program secured with a soft loan from the World Bank. However, due to the worsening poverty brought about by global recession, P39 billion must be expended in 2012. The exit strategy of the program actually depends on how successful, viable and sustainable income generating projects are under SEA-K.
The Kapit-bisig sa Kaunlaran Comprehensive Integrated Development Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) will improve the infra and social services for the poor. It will strengthen the capacity of local communities to lift themselves out of poverty. The Philippines is committed under the UN Millennium Development Goals to halve existing poverty incidence by 2013.
In conducting an objective assessment of the impact of 4P’s, it is pertinent to note NSCB’s report that only two (2) out of 1,000 Filipino families were lifted out of poverty between 2008 and 2009 and one (1) family per 100 was lifted out of food poverty between 2006 and 2009. At present, there is no verifiable report about the result accomplishment of 4P’s. Some skeptics abound however whether program could create a significant dent to an old age problem since Mexico with 10 times GDP than the Philippines failed miserably on her Conditional Cash Transfer to alleviate poverty. /MP
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