Bill to institutionalize food stamp program hurdles House panel
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Bill to institutionalize food stamp program hurdles House panel
MANILA — A bill to institutionalize the government’s food stamp program for poor families got the nod of the House Committee on Social Services on Tuesday.
The program seeks to reduce the incidence of voluntary hunger in low-income households by providing P3,000 monthly assistance to beneficiaries, which are loaded into an Electronic Benefit Transfer cards, for the purchase of select food commodities from eligible partner merchant stores.
MANILA — A bill to institutionalize the government’s food stamp program for poor families got the nod of the House Committee on Social Services on Tuesday.
The program seeks to reduce the incidence of voluntary hunger in low-income households by providing P3,000 monthly assistance to beneficiaries, which are loaded into an Electronic Benefit Transfer cards, for the purchase of select food commodities from eligible partner merchant stores.
The amount cannot be withdrawn as cash, the Department of Social Welfare and Development stressed.
During the committee meeting, Bulacan 2nd District Rep. Augustina Dominique Pancho proposed to increase the amount of assistance to a more “realistic” P5,000 .
“Kasi P3,000 for one month, I think that’s impossible,” she said.
The amount cannot be withdrawn as cash, the Department of Social Welfare and Development stressed.
During the committee meeting, Bulacan 2nd District Rep. Augustina Dominique Pancho proposed to increase the amount of assistance to a more “realistic” P5,000 .
“Kasi P3,000 for one month, I think that’s impossible,” she said.
Nueva Ecija 3rd District Representative Rosanna “Ria” Vergara, chair of the House Committee on Social Services, said she supports the idea but that it might get shot down on the House floor as too high.
Nueva Ecija 3rd District Representative Rosanna “Ria” Vergara, chair of the House Committee on Social Services, said she supports the idea but that it might get shot down on the House floor as too high.
“That’s why I like your proposal na it will depend on the inter-agency committee. We will talk to the authors, but we support that to increase P3,000 to P5,000 initially,” she said.
“That’s why I like your proposal na it will depend on the inter-agency committee. We will talk to the authors, but we support that to increase P3,000 to P5,000 initially,” she said.
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The DSWD targets to scale up this July the implementation of the food stamp program to benefit 300,000 families from just 3,000 beneficiaries under the pilot implementation.
The DSWD targets to scale up this July the implementation of the food stamp program to benefit 300,000 families from just 3,000 beneficiaries under the pilot implementation.
The budget for the program, however, is only sufficient for 100,000 beneficiaries while the DSWD seeks more funding from the Department of Budget and Management.
The budget for the program, however, is only sufficient for 100,000 beneficiaries while the DSWD seeks more funding from the Department of Budget and Management.
4PS BENEFICIARIES EXCLUDED FROM FOOD STAMP LIST
DSWD Assistant Secretary Baldr Bringas, meanwhile, noted that beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) will be excluded from the list of food stamp program beneficiaries for the scaled up implementation this year, which begins in July.
“In our approved [General Appropriations Act], it specifically mentions to exclude 4Ps beneficiaries. For this year, there will be no 4Ps beneficiaries who will benefit from the food stamp program because of that special provision in the GAA,” he explained.
4PS BENEFICIARIES EXCLUDED FROM FOOD STAMP LIST
DSWD Assistant Secretary Baldr Bringas, meanwhile, noted that beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) will be excluded from the list of food stamp program beneficiaries for the scaled up implementation this year, which begins in July.
“In our approved [General Appropriations Act], it specifically mentions to exclude 4Ps beneficiaries. For this year, there will be no 4Ps beneficiaries who will benefit from the food stamp program because of that special provision in the GAA,” he explained.
The GAA is the national budget for the year.
“I just wanna make sure they don’t feel like palakasan… sasabihin nila ay kakilala kasi ng pamilya nito ‘yung naglilista kaya nandoon,” Rep. Vergara told the DSWD.
“We work independently using our own database… We identify beneficiaries by selecting the bottom 1 million households based on lLstahanan,” Bringas assured the panel.
Some lawmakers also defended the food stamp program from observations that it is a “band-aid solution” to poverty, hunger and inflation issues in the country.
The GAA is the national budget for the year.
“I just wanna make sure they don’t feel like palakasan… sasabihin nila ay kakilala kasi ng pamilya nito ‘yung naglilista kaya nandoon,” Rep. Vergara told the DSWD.
“We work independently using our own database… We identify beneficiaries by selecting the bottom 1 million households based on lLstahanan,” Bringas assured the panel.
Some lawmakers also defended the food stamp program from observations that it is a “band-aid solution” to poverty, hunger and inflation issues in the country.
'BAND-AID' SOLUTION?
Vergara acknowledged it is a short-term solution but added putting it into law will help make it a longer-term government program.
“Malaking tulong ‘yan para sa poorest of the poor families where food is actually a problem. But then again our goal here in Congress is of course to provide immediate relief, but also to look for long-term solutions katulad nitong Rice Tariffication Law. If rice is more accessible, mas mababa na ang presyo, ay hindi namomroblema ang karamihan ng mga pamilyang Pilipino,” Bataan 1st District Rep. Geraldine Roman added.
Vergara acknowledged it is a short-term solution but added putting it into law will help make it a longer-term government program.
“Malaking tulong ‘yan para sa poorest of the poor families where food is actually a problem. But then again our goal here in Congress is of course to provide immediate relief, but also to look for long-term solutions katulad nitong Rice Tariffication Law. If rice is more accessible, mas mababa na ang presyo, ay hindi namomroblema ang karamihan ng mga pamilyang Pilipino,” Bataan 1st District Rep. Geraldine Roman added.
“In a way band-aid solutions, yes. Superficial po in a way kasi immediate lang po siya but we do believe, I think that this would have long-term effects,” 1-RIDER Party List Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez noted.
DSWD noted that the program requires beneficiaries to attend productivity enhancement sessions with the Department of Labor and Environment and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to help them develop skills and find employment or livelihood.
“In a way band-aid solutions, yes. Superficial po in a way kasi immediate lang po siya but we do believe, I think that this would have long-term effects,” 1-RIDER Party List Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez noted.
DSWD noted that the program requires beneficiaries to attend productivity enhancement sessions with the Department of Labor and Environment and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to help them develop skills and find employment or livelihood.
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