Last Tuesday January 29, chosen bloggers had a chance to
have a "chit-chat" with the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) Secretary Dinky Soliman to discuss their current campaign
aptly called "Bawal Ang Epal Dito", which aims to protect people from
politicians who might use DSWD's "Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino" to
abuse and manipulate constituents in the upcoming elections.
Pantawid Pamilya is a program providing conditional cash
grants for poor Filipinos and is now being implemented in 1,605 cities and
municipalities in 79 provinces in all 17 regions nationwide. The main
objectives of this pivotal DSWD program is to alleviate immediate needs (social
assistance) and to break the intergenerational poverty cycle (social development).
Eligible households with three children who qualify for assistance receive
1,400Php a month through Land Bank or via other modes of payments. As of
January this year, a total of 3,843,502 household beneficiaries have been
included in the program.
The May 2013 elections is fast approaching and DSWD is
worried that some unscrupulous politicians may take advantage of the Pantawid
Pamilya program to gain leverage. In anticipation of such incidents, DSWD is
ready to receive reports, feedbacks, and messages about politicians or
candidates who may claim to have the authority to enlist and delist household
beneficiaries from the program. Complainants can avail of the department's
Grievance Redness System by simply sending a text with their "name/area/complaint"
to 0918-9122813.
Secretary Soliman said,"No one can delist or enlist
names aside from the DSWD Office. As long as you comply with the conditions,
the office will be the one to decide about it." She further emphasized
this point by saying "Walang ibang magtatanggal sa'yo kundi ang sarili mo,
kung hindi ka talaga sumunod o susunod sa mga itinakdang kondisyon." As to
politicians who might use the Pantawid Pamilya to exploit and control voters in
their constituency, she warned that the DSWD will not hesitate to turn over
evidence or witness accounts to the proper authority like the Ombudsman.
Let us all support "Bawal ang Epal Dito", for this
is a valiant DSWD effort and campaign. It not only empowers beneficiaries of
the Pantawid Pamilya program, it also ensures that the voting populace can not
and should not be unduly influenced by wayward politicians and electoral
candidates.
