The 400,000-strong Kusog Bisaya, composed of labor, farmers, fisherfolk and urban poor groups, on Monday declared support for the senatorial candidacy of House Independent Bloc Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez following his “malasakit” (compassionate) platform for the welfare of Filipino people especially on his proposal to increase the cash grant of conditional cash transfer.
Erlinda Mendez, chairperson of Kusog Bisaya, said Romualdez’s proposal to institutionalize the CCT will help address the bias in the selection of legitimate beneficiaries.
“Congressman Romualdez has plans for us to address our problem on CCT implementation. We thank the congressman for his malasakit,” Mendez told reporters in a press conference after the Urban Poor Consultation guested by Romualdez at Quezon City restaurant.
Mendez said Romualdez’s election to the Senate would guarantee that problems of ordinary Filipinos will be addressed, including jobs, delivery of social services, peace and order, disaster preparedness, corruption and among others.
Jim Lamento, Kusog Bisaya media relations officer, lauded Romualdez for advancing specific requests of their group especially on reforming the CCT which significantly helping their sector.
“Our members are overwhelmingly supporting the candidacy of Rep. Martin,” Lamento said as he urged Romualdez to address the politicized nature of CCT through his proposal to institutionalize the program.
The group was also joined by members of urban poor community from Malabon and Navotas.
Responding to them, Romualdez vowed to expand the number of beneficiaries and increase the amount of cash grant to the poorest of the poor.
“This is part of our malasakit program devoid of any controversy and politics. We will also ensure checks and balances in its implementation through congressional oversight,” Romualdez said in the same press conference where he was invited by the urban poor group to join.
Romualdez told the media that the proposed expansion of the CCT program aimed at enhancing the poverty alleviation efforts of the government by extending a maximum of P46,200 and a minimum of P24,200 financial support annually to each qualified household-beneficiary as “malasakit” (compassion) to the poorest of the poor.
Romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa), stressed this in his proposal to institutionalize, expand and reform the CCT program or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to ensure that this will be made available to those who truly need it and not beused as a political pawn.