The "Pantawid" Fund must be used differently

My mother Veronica, may her soul rest in peace, was one of the pioneer social workers of the country. More than 50 years ago, she was brought to Manila for an intensive training to prepare her for the job which her college diplomas did not arm her with. She was to become a core officer of the Social Welfare Administration, an office newly organized by then President Ramon Magsaysay.

Indeed, I witnessed the many social projects delivered by the SWA (later the DSWD) where my mother gave her best until her retirement in the late 70s. So, it would really warm my heart to hear of continued efforts of the government in that direction.

In the state of the nation address delivered by His Excellency, President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III, he talked about the government’s social service program. We heard him saying that his administration has, thus far, attended to the needs of 1.2 million beneficiary-families. They received fund assistance called “pantawid”. Probably as part of the props, the television screen flashed the face of DSWD Sec. Dinky Soliman, suppressing a dutiful smile. In memory of my mother’s lifetime work, I would have received that part of the SONA with a warmed heart.

Yes, I am using the words “would have” for, in listening to the president alluding that the funds were given to the depressed families inhabiting in squalid environment, I entertained reservations on the effectiveness of the assistance. “Pantawid sa kabuhayan”, Tagalog words which I suspect to mean “to bridge a livelihood”, is but a one-time dole out. It is difficult to understand how it can achieve its goal of giving a chance to impoverished families to learn how to make a living.

In previous news stories, I read that targeted beneficiaries should meet certain criteria. The size of the family, the income of the family head and education, among others, were mentioned. It appeared to me that only the poorest of the poor were to be given that monetary help. If that should be the case and given that set of qualifying conditions, the fund is going to be some kind of a one-shot help. Nothing more.

Using that context, whatever money is given to the so-called beneficiary is (and can only be), good for few meals. It cannot be called “pantawid sa kabuhayan”. At best, it can be named “pantawid sa kainan” or words to that effect, with apologies to those who know the Tagalog dialect.

The more lasting solution to the problem of poverty among migrants to the cities is a bitter pill. It will actually become worse before it gets better. One good thing is that the DSWD has already accomplished a starting board. This government department must have exerted tremendous effort in trying to identify these families and I am not counting the cost of such efforts that must run to millions of pesos.

I am sure that the data-base created by DSWD must include the province of origin of these people. They must be returned to their home province. If there is government money allocated for these beneficiaries, it should be spent: (1) to acquire vacant, meaning idle, arable lands, in their home town, (2) of the ideal size a family can work on; (2) to purchase materials and implements necessary and useful for the kind of targeted agricultural undertaking, and (3) to support and sustain the beneficiary family throughout the period that they are still tilling the land and waiting for the harvest.

Actually, this idea is not new. It is a kind of “straight path” the late Dean Jeremias Montemayor conceived of five decades ago. No past administration dared to give its heart pursuing it. If the new president is following a “matuwid na landas” he will not err using huge government resources in this or similar program. No, he will not give fish to these people but he will do better than that. He will teach them how to fish and then, these countrymen of ours will no longer be looking for the next presidential dole out.