4Ps dragged in Cebu City’s politics

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña yesterday received reports that the supporters of his political opponent-reelectionist Mayor Michael Rama have threatened the 4Ps beneficiaries in the city that they will be delisted in the program if they will not support Team Rama candidates.

Rama, though, denied this.

The 4Ps is a special project of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) called Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program where the beneficiaries will be provided by the government with benefits so they could send their children to school.  The program also extends loans amounting to P10,000,  without interest and payable in two years.

Osmeña said an official of Barangay Duljo-Fatima informed him yesterday morning that the 4Ps beneficiaries in their barangay were instructed to proceed to the Rama Compound in Barangay Basak-San Nicolas where the mayor’s house is located.

The text message that Osmeña received read: “4Ps beneficiaries are gathered in the barangay hall of Duljo-Fatima to be brought to Rama Compound. They will be removed kuno from the payroll of DSWD if they won’t go.”

But Rama denied that he or his supporters are requiring the 4Ps beneficiaries to have a meeting with him.

Osmeña earlier said the DSWD top officials had assured him that the beneficiaries of the 4Ps program cannot be removed just because they are not supporting particular candidates.

In the 4Ps project, the DSWD identified “poorest among the poor” families in selected places of the region, including in Cebu City, and the beneficiaries will be granted P500 monthly financial assistance and another P300 for each of the children below 14 years, although only three children are accepted in every family.  — (FREEMAN)