Sulong Dignidad Party-list is urging the Senate and the House of Representatives to immediately convene a bicameral conference committee on the institutionalization of the government’s conditional cash transfer program when both chambers resume their legislative sessions on May 20.
“We want to immediately institutionalize the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program [4Ps] of the government to make sure that the people are given what is due them,” said Sulong Dignidad president and first nominee lawyer Rico Paolo Quicho.
“Kapag naisabatas na po itong programang ito, masmagiging maayos ang implementasyon ng programa at hindi na rin ito magagamit sa politika ng mga mapagsamantala,” he added.
The Senate and House of Representative have two different versions of the bill that seeks to institutionalize the 4Ps.
The House of Representatives approved House Bill No. 7773 on third and final reading on August 2018 while senators passed Senate Bill 2117, on Feb 2019.
Quicho also took issue with the inaccuracies in the list of beneficiaries, distribution gridlocks, non-receipt or underpayments, non-compliance with requirements, and verification problems that beset the program.
“Napakagandang proyekto po nitong 4Ps pero marami pa tayong kailangang ayusin gaya ng delayed distributions at iyong mga nare-report na maraming beneficiaries ang qualified pero hindi nailalagay sa listahan,” Quicho said.
“Once a law is in place, it would greatly help in monitoring beneficiaries and clean up the roster to cover only those who satisfy the requirements,” he added.