Group presses for removal of CCT funds in 2015 budget

MANILA, Philippines - A pro-life advocacy group is supporting the proposal to take out the funding for the government's conditional cash transfer in the national budget for 2015.

Prolife Philippines president Eric Manalang said there has been little or no impact on the lives of poor Filipinos in connection with the Aquino administration's Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Manalang instead suggested that the government should use the dole out money in creating livelihood programs and jobs for the unemployed.

“Kung tutuusin labag sa dignidad ng tao na walang trabaho. Ang dapat nilang ginamit sa pera na ‘yan ay lumikha ng trabaho, hindi mamimigay ng pera na ang objective ay magkaroon ng consumption pero di sustainable. Dapat nga i-audit yan, bago isarado, bilyong piso ang ginastos dyan. So, nasaan yun?" Manalang told Radyo Veritas.

Meanwhile, Father Edwin Mercado of the Pondo ng Pinoy said the CCT program will not be successful without the corresponding values formation among its beneficiaries.

The prelate also noted that the program would likely espouse the culture of laziness among the poor.

House Minority leader Ronalda Zamora earlier proposed before Congress to exclude the P64.7-billion CCT fund from the national budget as it failed to improve the lives of poor Filipinos.