STATEMENT OF CONCERN ON THE CONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER (CCT) PROGRAM

STATEMENT OF CONCERN ON THE CONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER (CCT) PROGRAM

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.

This 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, indicating that CCTs have become the Aquino administration’s main strategy for poverty alleviation.

Given the grave lack of funds for basic social services and economic services, we question the wisdom of allotting such a substantial portion of government’s scarce resources to CCTs. They are 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.

In view of the above, we hereby affirm our commitment to work for the realignment of funds from CCTs to our country's schools, hospitals, health centers, housing programs, agriculture and others that directly address the needs of the poor for jobs, livelihood and services.

Courtesy of bayanmuna.net