The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) budget proposal for next year has still not been endorsed for plenary debates by the Senate subcommittee on finance.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Sen. Imee Marcos are still submitting a detailed report to the DSWD regarding their programs being implemented.
Among those submitted to DSWD are the implementation matrix of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps, Sustainable Livelihood Program or SLP, and the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services or Kalahi-CIDSS.
The report identifies the accomplishments and beneficiaries of each program.
A detailed report on the emergency subsidy under Republic Act No. 11494 or Bayanihan 2 law is also submitted to the DSWD.
Marcos insisted that the said reports must be submitted because his fellow senators will definitely ask and question them when it comes to plenary debates.
Lacson also questioned why the poverty rate remains high even though many are already benefiting and graduating from 4Ps.
Lacson said the 4Ps graduate data does not match the unemployment rate in the country.
In 2016, the budget for 4Ps was P62.6 billion, P78 billion in 2017, and P108 billion in 2020.
DSWD’s 2022 budget has not yet passed the Senate panel
He said this does not match the unemployment rate, which barely moved at 2.3 million from 2016 to 2019.
Lacson said 4Ps aim to help young people get an education and eventually get a job.
According to DSWD Director Gemma Gabuya, there are 4.4 million beneficiaries, and when someone graduates, they are replaced.
He said the program is also long-term, and most of the graduates are just entering college.
Lacson also picked up what he said was a chaotic list of 4Ps.
He said the DSWD must fix this so that the program can be given to the rightful beneficiaries.
Based on the proposal approved by the House, the DSWD’s proposed budget for 2022 is P191.4 billion.
Last week, Senator Panfilo Lacson criticized the data provided by DWSD, which allegedly did not match the distribution of billions of pesos in funds as an aid during the pandemic called the social amelioration program (SAP).
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