Category: In the News

Of pork, donors, spending caps: ‘Polspeak’ and Senate wannabes

mcmangahas Leave a comment

BEFORE THE official campaign period started, the PCIJ interviewed a majority of the candidates for senator on money matters.

We asked them to take a stand on pork barrel, the use of public funds, campaign spending limits, how they plan to fatten their campaign kitty, and how they will deal with donors seeking rent or favors.

We thought it important to put them on the record on money-in-politics questions that are a reference of integrity, character, and purpose — and how they intend to do right by taxpayers’ money, once elected into office.

PCIJ Research Director Karol Ilagan, PCIJ researcher Rowena F. Caronan, and PCIJ interns Kia Obang and Romina Tapire conducted the interviews on Jan. 25, 2013.

What follows are nuggets of “PolSpeak”, a featured content in MoneyPolitics.PCIJ.org, the PCIJ’s latest data journalism project. A citizen’s resource, research, and analysis tool on elections, public funds, and governance in the Philippines, it goes online soon!

ON PORK BARREL:

Senatorial candidate Margarita Cojuangco (United Nationalist Alliance):

“There is nothing wrong with the pork barrel as long as it’s used the way it’s intended to be. In fact, expectations are so great, it’s not only constructing of the bridge or the road, it’s even the money for people, for constituents who come and say, ‘We don’t have money to go home,’ ‘We don’t have any money for the doctor,’ ‘We don’t have any money for the education of our children.’ As long as it’s used wisely, it’s audited properly, then I think it’s necessary. I’m not gonna be a hypocrite.”


Senatorial candidate Samson Alcantara:

“If it (pork barrel) will be intended for the good of the people, I will accept that. But I will not beg for it… Halimbawa may pork barrel, pero kapag iipitin yan ng executive upang makiusap ka o sumuko ka sa kanila, I will not beg for that.”

Senatorial candidate Marwil Llasos:

“(K)apag senador ka o kongresista ka, ang trabaho mo ay legislative. You have nothing to do with the executive functions. Kung gusto nilang makialam sa proyekto ng gobyerno ay huwag silang mag-senador, mag-congressman, mag-secretary sila ng DPWH. Kasi ang function ng isang senador o congressman, tatlo yan: legislation, investigation and education. Walang binabanggit sa batas na kasama diyan ang pagiging kontratista.”

Senatorial candidate Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel (Team PNoy):

“Dapat ang PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund), ginagastos ayon sa desisyon ng ordinaryong mamamayan.”

“I’m for the abolition of the pork barrel system. Kasi pinagmumulan siya ng korupsyon at saka patronage. Ngayon, habang hindi pa na-abolish yung system na ‘yan, dapat ang PDAF ay ginagamit sa transparent na paraan. Pangalawa, dapat ang PDAF, ginagastos ayon sa desisyon ng ordinaryong mamamayan.”

Senatorial candidate Teddy Casino (Makabayan):

“It should be abolished as it is. Kung meron mang mga projects na gustong ipasok ang congressman para sa distrito niya, o ang senador para sa kung saan, dapat ito ay dadaaan sa regular budget procedure, naka-line item ‘yan sa budget. Kasi ang problema natin ‘yung lumpsum na wala ka pang naiisip na project may P70 million ka na. Bahala ka kung ano’ng gusto mong gawin. ‘Yan talaga ang source ng problema at ‘yan ay nagagamit sa pulitika ng executive as a carrot and stick sa legislative, so better i-abolish na ‘yung ganyang sistema.”

Senatorial candidate Bal Falcone (Democratic Party of the Philippines):

“Senators and congressmen are just supposed to be legislators. They are not supposed to be part and partially executive kaya nagkakaloko-loko ang bayan natin because the legislators who are supposed to just focus on solving poverty in the country are also exercising executive functions. And this being unaudited, a lot of corruption comes in, a lot of government money is wasted.”

ON USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS:


Senatorial candidate Grace Poe-Llamanzares (Team PNoy):

“Kahit na anong pera, MOOE man ‘yan o pork barrel, kung ‘yan po ay pinagkatiwala sa iyo, hindi ‘yan para sa personal mong paggamit.’Yan ay para sa taong bayan. Nagayon, simple lang naman po kasi yung mga pork barrel na yan, kung ikaw ay gumawa ng kalsada, makakabuti yan sa iyong mga constituents. Pero tama nga rin po ‘wag naman ilagay ng napakalaki ang pangalan mo doon, walang kwenta naman ‘yun.

Senatorial candidate Grace Poe-Llamanzares:

“So, kahit po sa MTRCB (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board) noon, panukala namin na magkaroon ng advisory sa simula ng bawat show para bigyan busina ‘yung mga magulang. Pero maraming nagsasabi na ‘Ma’am, pwede mong ilagay ‘yung mukha mo dyan na ang MTRCB director,’ ‘Pwedeng boses mo ang gamitin diyan o by order by MTRCB chairperson, ganyan.’ Hindi ko nilagay ‘yun kasi sabi ko, ‘Teka muna ibig sabihin kung wala na ako sa MTRCB at tatanggalin n’yo na yan, hindi na ninyo pwedeng gamitin, gagastos na naman kayo. So ganun lang naman po kasimple, konting delicadeza.’

ON CAMPAIGN SPENDING LIMITS:

Senatorial candidate Bal Falcone:

“That’s good, that’s good… The Democratic Party of the Poor (DPP), we cannot even afford one TV advertisement, which costs P200,000 per 30 seconds like Hanep Buhay or something like that… But we go along because our advocacy truly represents the interest of the poor and we are uniting all the poor people in all the several regions of the country. We go through our financing campaign through contributions because we give or we get from our membership, which is increasing by leaps and bounds by the way — only P100 for a life-time membership in DPP.”

Senatorial candidate Eddie Villanueva (Bangon Pilipinas):

“Pabor ako sa less expensive election campaign eh. Kasi unang-una, ang Bangon Pilipinas ay binubuo ng mga volunteers. Wala naman tayong budget na katulad ng ibang political parties. Ang puhunan lang natin, pagmamahal sa Diyos, pagmamahal sa bayan. Kaya more policies which are designed to make elections less expensive, I’m always for the democratization of the election process.”

Senatorial candidate Ramon Montano (Independent):

“That does not bother me because we have been limited… as far as exposure is concerned, kaming mga independent, walang partido kasi wala kaming pera. We cannot even pay for anything. So we are very happy now, ngayon lang kami na-i-interview.”

Senatorial candidate Francis Escudero (Team PNoy):

Okay lang. ‘Yung 120 minutes caps sa TV, 180 minutes caps sa radio. Hindi rin naman namin malamang mauubos ‘yun dahil sobrang mahal ng airtime. In fact, bilang mo sa limang daliri mo sa isang kamay ‘yung mga kandidatong kayang gumastos ng ganyang kalaking pera. Ang question lang namin is, sa Internet, hindi pa marahil nakakaabot ang teknolohiya para tunay na ma-monitor ng Comelec ang paggamit ng Internet at limitahan ito.”

Senatorial candidate Rizalito David:

“For us poor candidates, it doesn’t really matter. I know it would not sit well (with) many of the networks but I think the political ad ban should be restored.”

“May mga kandidato, lalo na may mga pera, ang hinahabol nila, kaya sila nag-i-insist ngayon na mas marami dapat ‘yung airtime because they do not intend to be scrutinized. Because they want na puro political ads na lang, ‘yung mga three 30 seconders. What can you say in 30 seconds, ‘di ba? That is not being true to the people who will be electing you — na binoto ka lang kasi nag-stick sa mind nya ‘yung 30-seconder na palatastas mo. Hindi tama ‘ yan. That is unjust.

And I want to stress it. It is an unjust way of campaigning. People should hear what you are supposed to say, what you have in your mind and in your heart, particular to the issues that is confronting our people. Hindi pwede ‘yun, na mananalo ang isang kandidato because of his 30-seconders, ‘di ba?”

Senatorial candidate Teddy Casino (Makabayan):

“Importante talagang maghigpit ang Comelec para matiyak that there is a level playing field for all candidates, and we support itong efforts ng Comelec. Ang question lang is that — ‘yan ba talaga ‘yung masusunod, will they be able to enforce that, and will the candidates comply?”

Senatorial candidate Gregorio Honasan (UNA):

“Tama po lang ‘yun. Sa akin, kahit anong amount basta ayon sa batas, basta’t maipatupad, ma-enforce parang walang nakakalamang, walang nadedehado. Dahil alam mo naman na galing ‘to sa mga tulong, sa contributions. Basta’t accounted for ito, matapos ang campaign period, meron ‘yang talaan yan, accounting and auditing procedures para makasiguro na walang lumabag sa batas.”

ON CAMPAIGN DONORS and FUND-RAISING:

Senatorial candidate Bam Aquino (Team PNoy):

“‘Yun ‘yung taya nila, eh, tumataya sila sa ‘yo.”

“Nakaka-humble talaga when people donate to you, whether it’s a few thousand or more… And we’re going to declare all of these naman ‘no but yung point ko lang naman dito is, it’s really very humbling when people, you know, donate to your campaign because kumbaga ‘yun ‘yung taya nila eh, tumataya sila sa ‘yo. So… it’s a humbling process, at the same time nakakataba rin ng puso that people believe in you, enough to share with you their hard-earned resources ‘no?”

Senatorial candidate Juan Miguel Zubiri (UNA):

“Marami naman pong tumutulong sa atin. Along the line sa pagiging isang mababatas marami po tayong natutulungan ng mga adbokasiya at mga industriya, ay tumutulong naman po sila, lalu-lalo na kung maganda ang adhikain mo ay marami naman pong tumutulong. Kahit papaano, maliit man o malaki may tumutulong naman.”

Senatorial candidate Margarita Cojuangco (UNA):

“I’m running to serve and I’m not running to spend money that I know that I can save for my children… So if the Comelec sets a certain amount na hanggang diyan lang ‘yung gastos mo, well then good para maintindihan ng lahat ng mga botante that hindi kami bangko, you know, kung ano ‘yung budget naming pareho sa lahat.”

“You know, me being a housewife, I like to budget my money, ‘di ba? You know, it doesn’t make a difference whether you sell in the market or you’re a teacher, everybody has to live on that budget. And you know if I spend too much I don’t know how I will get it back, so it’s really basically very unfair to me and my family. Yeah, so I;m so glad that… because, I want to spend less because I’m here to serve.”

ON DONORS DEMANDING FAVORS:

Senatorial candidate Bam Aquino (Team PNoy):

“Syempre lahat ng mga taong tumutulong sa kampanya ko, sila rin ‘yung mga tao na tumutulong kay (President) PNoy at naniniwala sa ‘tuwid na daan.’ (P)robably, ‘yung mga tao na tiwali, hindi na siguro lalapit sa kampanya namin ‘no, to be frank.”

Senatorial candidate Samson Alcantara:

“Sinasabi ko naman sa kanila kapag nanalo ako, wala tayo yung utang na loob. Ayun ang masama sa Pilpino, may utang na loob kaya nga ngayon sa senado diba, utang na loob… Hindi dapat ‘yun.”

PCIJ’s ANGKAN, INC., a docu on Maguindanao’s clans

Ed Lingao Leave a comment

THE PHILIPPINE CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM (PCIJ) is proud to announce the broadcast of ANGKAN, INC., a special five-part documentary on the clans of Maguindanao as part of TV5′s Balwarte series on Sunday, April 28, at 10 p.m.

The documentary, produced by the PCIJ with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Commission on Human Rights, takes a deeper look at the political, social, and economic influence of the various clans that have lorded over Maguindanao in the last few centuries. This influence is especially evident in the May 2013 elections, where at least 80 members of the Ampatuan clan are running for public office in various capacities, from town councilor to mayor. Senior members of the Ampatuan clan have been implicated in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, where 58 people including 32 journalists were murdered in the worst case of election violence in the country.

But as the documentary shows, the case of the Ampatuans is not entirely unusual, as Maguindanao’s electoral races have long been the playground of the province’s clans. The Sangki clan, for example, is fielding 26 candidates, while the Midtimbangs are fielding 25. The Mangudadatu clan, the main rival of the Ampatuans, is fielding 18, even as their bailiwick is really in the neighboring province of Sultan Kudarat.

Interestingly, the proliferation of the clans and their continued and consistent dominance in Maguindanao does not seem to have had any positive effect on the socioeconomic development of Maguindanaoans. The province continues to wallow at the bottom with economic indicators showing very little progress over the decades.

The documentary also traces the evolution of the royal clans of the Sultanate of Maguindanao into today’s political clans, and how patronage politics on both the local and national level reinforce and perpetuate this clan system.

The print version of the documentary may also be read here:

The PCIJ series on Maguindanao is the first of a series of studies on the political clans that rule over significant portions of the country. In the next three years, the PCIJ will also be doing print stories and documentaries on other political clans in the Visayas and Luzon with assistance from the UNDP and CHR.

Watch the Maguindanao documentary tonight, April 28, on TV5′s Balwarte election series.

Nancy Binay agent writes PCIJ: Pol ads only P51M, not P82.8M

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THE ADVERTISING agent of senatorial candidate Ma. Lourdes Nancy Binay (United Nationalist Alliance) on Friday took exception to a PCIJ report that his client has aired and booked P82.8 million worth of political advertisements, based on contracts submitted by print and broadcast media agencies to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Tom Banguis, Jr., Chairman/CEO of Mediaforce Vizeum, Binay’s advertising agent, said that Binay has so far incurred “only P51 million in political advertisements” for the first 60 days (Feb. 12 to April 10, 2013) of the 90-day official campaign period.

Mr Banguis wrote: “We suspect that your Comelec sources did not properly distinguish between aired spots and importantly, those booked for future airing. Since we have booked Ms. Binay’s ads to cover her campaign up to May 11, it is likely that your source may have provided data on her total booking for the whole election campaign.”

A more careful reading of the PCIJ story should have clarified matters to Mr. Banguis. The PCIJ stands by its story.

The story precisely stated that the P82.8-million figure represented the political ads “aired, published, and booked” for Binay and the other candidates, according to advertising contracts that media agencies have signed and sealed with the candidates, the political parties, and party-list groups.

Media agencies are required in law to submit to the Comelec copies of all advertising contracts, broadcast logs, and telecast orders after every 30 days of the campaign period.

The PCIJ story was based on the documents that the media agencies had submitted to the Comelec for the period covering Feb. 12 to April 10, 2013, the first 60 days of the 90-day official campaign period for national candidates.

The media agencies, not the Comelec, reported the fact of the purchase of political ads for Binay during the period covered in their reports.

It must be noted that the major networks enforce a “pay before broadcast” policy among its advertising clients, which entails payment of advertisements before actual airing date.

The PCIJ story looked at the political ad expenses for and by the candidates and the political parties, according to the contracts submitted to Comelec.

Because the contracts had been signed and submitted to the Comelec, the values of the ads may be clearly considered as expenses incurred for and by the candidates.

The PCIJ has yet to aggregate the total airtime that the candidates have incurred, pending the airing of all their booked ads.

The PCIJ story had precisely noted that some of the political ads had been booked for broadcast up to May 11, 2013, the last day of the campaign period.

The documents from the media agencies showed that this was the same case with Binay’s UNA party and Binay’s party-mate, Cagayan Rep. Juan ‘Jack’ Ponce Enrile Jr., also clients of Mediaforce.

Like Mediaforce, however, other advertising agencies had also booked ads for their respective clients scheduled for airing until May 11.

They include Zenith Optemdia for San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor Ejercito and the Bagong Henerasyon party-list group; Mediacom for Aurora Rep. Edgardo Angara Jr., Havas Media Ortega/Mejah for re-electionist senator Loren Legarda, Tiger 22 Media Corp. for Grace Poe-Llamanzares, Message Bureau Inc. for re-electionist senator Francis Escudero, and MultimediaScape Inc. for former senator Ma. Ana Consuelo Madrigal.

Angara, Legarda, Poe-Llamanzares, Escudero, and Madrigal are candidates of the Team PNoy coalition led by President Aquino’s Liberal Party.

In addition, the following party-list groups have also procured political ads with May 11 as “finish date” of airing, on “direct” arrangements with the media agencies — ABAKADA, ABS, Ading, AKO Bikol, and AMS.

Below is the full text of the letter that Mediaforce sent to PCIJ:

Ms. Malu Mangahas
PCIJ

Ms. Mangahas,

This is to call attention to the PCIJ article “P1.3 Billion Pol ads aired, booked” as it contains inaccurate information on the ad spending of the senatorial candidates for the period February 12-April 10. In particular, Nancy Binay’s spending for the period was erroneously reported as P82.8 Million.

Based on ad contracts submitted to the networks, Ms. Binay’s actual expenditures amounted to only P51 million for the said period. Based on Nielsen estimates, the other candidates expenditures were Villar P 63.9 Million, Cayetano P59 Million, Aquino P56 Million, Enrile P54 Million, and Poe P48 Million. Team UNA expenditures were only P45.5 Million. These figures are significantly different from those the PCIJ reported. Please refer to attached. Please do not hesitate to call us for any further clarification you may find necessary.

We suspect that your Comelec sources did not properly distinguish between aired spots and importantly, those booked for future airing. Since we have booked Ms. Binay’s ads to cover her campaign up to May 11, it is likely that your source may have provided data on her total booking for the whole election campaign.

We would appreciate your rectification of the said PCIJ report. Thank you and best regards.

Tom Banguis, Jr.
Chairman/CEO
Mediaforce Vizeum

P1.3-B pol ads aired, booked

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AS OF LAST April 10, P1,320,116,506.81 worth of political ads had already been aired, published, and booked for and by 21 of the 33 senatorial candidates, and 20 political parties and party-list groups.

Print and broadcast media agencies have submitted a total of 287 advertising contracts and telecast orders to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) covering ads aired, published, and/or booked thus far by the candidates and the political parties.

The documents showed that the children of the so-called “Three Kings” of the political opposition, the daughter of “Da King” of Philippine movies, and those born to old and new political clans are the top 10 spenders on political ads.

This is happening amid the seemingly changeless picture of poverty in the land: The administration and opposition political parties and most of their candidates for senator are pouring buckets of money on political ads.

The total value of these ads has already breached the P1-billion mark, but will certainly keep on rising. The ad contracts submitted to Comelec covered only the ads aired and booked for the first 60 days (Feb. 12 to April 10, 2013) of the 90-day official campaign period for national candidates.

By cluster, the ads aired and booked for the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) coalition and six of its nine senatorial candidates had reached P587,593,483.02, or nearly P100 million less than the P682,898,916.87 ads that had been procured by administration Team PNoy and its 12 candidates.

Read the reports, check out the data tables:

* Kids of ‘Kings’ and clans top spenders: P1.3-B pol ads aired, booked in 60 days
* Money politics questions split candidates for senator

Cagayan Rep. Juan ‘Jack’ Ponce Enrile Jr, only son of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, ranked No. 1 with P151.2 million worth of ads aired and booked.

San Juan Representative Joseph Victor ‘JV’ Ejercito, son of deposed President Joseph Ejercito Estrada by re-electionist San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez, landed in No. 2 with P137.1 million.

UNA came in at No. 3 with P120.3 million in political ads, including TV spots booked for airing until May 11, 2013, the last day of the campaign.

At fifth spot is newbie candidate Ma. Lourdes Nancy Binay, daughter of Vice President Jejomar ‘Jojo’ Binay, with P82.8 million in ads aired and booked during the period.

Of Team PNoy’s candidates, Aurora Rep. Sonny Angara is the top spender. He ranked fourth in the list with P85.52 million ads aired and booked for and in his name.

Grace Poe-Llamanzares, daughter of the late Fernando Poe Jr., the late “king” of Philippine action films, came in sixth with P74,688,473.45 ads aired and booked in her favor

The bottom spender among Team Pnoy’s candidates is re-electionist senator Antonio ‘Sonny’ Trillanes IV, with P12.41 million.

President Aquino’s Liberal Party, for its part, aired and booked another P68.43 million of political ads during the period, featuring all its 12 candidates.

Completing the Top 10 list of political ad buyers in the campaign’s first 60 days are three LP candidates — former senator Ma. Ana Consuelo ‘Jamby’ Madrigal with P66.7 million of ads aired and booked; the President’s first cousin Paolo Banigno ‘Bam’ Aquino, P56.24 million; and re-electionist senator Loren Regina B. Legarda, P46.95 million.

Former Las Pinas representative Cynthia A. Villar, wife of outgoing senator Manuel B. Villar — the biggest spender on political ads in the May 2010 presidential elections and the wealthiest of the 23 incumbent senators — landed in a surprisingly low spot, No. 16, in the list of 41 ad spenders.

Cynthia Villar’s political ads totaled P32.7 million only, based on the records submitted to the Comelec. It seemed, though, that this modest amount got a supplemental boost from another P32.99 million in ads that her husband’s Nacionalista Party purchased during the same period.

Curiously, some supposedly cash-poor candidates have outranked some supposedly cash-rich candidates.

Former Akbayan party list representative Ana Theresa ‘Risa’ Hontiveros had P31.80 million worth of ads aired and booked for and in her name during the period, compared with much smaller ad buys by four candidates who had served as senators — Juan Miguel ‘Migs’ Zubiri, P28.43 million; Aquilino Martin ‘Koko’ Pimentel III, P27.49 million; Ernesto M. Maceda, P22.19 million; and Trillanes, P12.41 million.

Even Bayan Muna representative Teodoro ‘Teddy’ A. Casino, who is literally “running” across the nation on an avowed tight budget, incurred P8.69 million worth of aired and booked ads, or more than double the P3.81-million ad spend of outgoing Palawan governor Edward S. Hagedorn, according to the documents.

And yet, when PCIJ interviewed 19 candidates for senator about their position on money and politics issues, many said they will strive to rein in their campaign spending, solicit donations, and spend only within the limits of election laws. However, other issues such as the continued disbursement of pork-barrel funds yielded a split opinion among the candidates.

Gov’t claims partial success with CCT dole outs

Ed Lingao Leave a comment

by Edz dela Cruz

POOR COMMUNITIES covered by the government’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program are registering higher attendance in schools than communities that are not part of the program, says the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

This, among other indicators, would show that the main targets of the controversial multi-billion peso program are already benefiting from the dole outs given under the CCT, said Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman.

Soliman said findings from a recently completed Impact Evaluation Report of the CCT program by the Department of Social Welfare and Development showed that the program was “on track.” The findings were presented to the press by the DSWD and the World Bank last March 1, 2013.

Soliman says that a survey conducted by the DSWD on the target beneficiaries of the program showed significant progress in getting beneficiaries to avail of health and educational programs offered by the government in exchange for their participation in the CCT.

The CCT program, also known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), grants selected indigent families a modest monthly amount provided the families send their children to school and regularly visit health centers. The cash grants include P500 a month per family to cover health and nutrition costs, and an additional P300 for every child who is sent to school for a maximum of three children. All in all, an eligible family can claim a maximum of P1,400 from the program.

The program is meant as a safety net of sorts to prevent poor Filipinos from sliding deeper into penury.

The findings presented to the public were based on a study of 1,418 households in Lanao del Norte, Mountain Province, Negros Occidental, and Occidental Mindoro.

Among the findings presented by the World Bank and DSWD to the media:

  • In Pantawid barangays, 76 percent of preschoolers are enrolled in daycare, compared to 65 percent in non-Pantawid areas.
  • Up to 98 percent of children in Pantawid barangays are enrolled in primary school, as against 93 percent in non-Pantawid barangays
  • Some 64 percent of pregnant mothers in Pantawid barangays had antenatal care compared to only 54 percent in non-Pantawid barangays
  • For deworming, 85 percent of children in Pantawid barangays have undergone the procedure versus only 80 percent in non-Pantawid areas
  • Lastly, 81 percent of children in Pantawid barangays have taken Vitamin A supplements as against 75 percent in areas not covered by the program.

“I am pleased to know that the children of poor families are indeed enjoying better and improving access to education and better health services through Pantawid Pamilya,” Soliman said in a statement distributed to reporters.

The program has been under fire since its introduction under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2008. Criticisms range from the dole-out nature of the program to allegations that the selection of target beneficiaries are politically colored. Read the PCIJ investigative reports on the CCT program here.

The CCT program has been dubbed “the cornerstone of the government’s strategy to fight poverty” and attain the Millenium Development Goals that the country has pledged to achieve by 2015.

The CCT remains as the Aquino administration’s flagship program to alleviate poverty. In 2010, the program was given a P10.92-billion budget for 900,000 beneficiaries with another P21.19 billion to expand the program to 2.3 million beneficiaries in 2011. Last year, the government allocated P39.45-billion for 3.1 million beneficiaries.

This year, the budget increased to P55.97-billion, 12.2% higher than the 2012 allocation, triggering more debates among government officials and lawmakers, and raising questions on whether the cash grants were already being used as political leverage for this year’s elections.

Aside from the annual budget provided by the national government, the program is also supplemented with loans from the World Bank (WB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB), amounting to $805-million altogether. Loans from the WB will be repaid in 25 years, including a 10-year grace period, while loans from the ADB need to be repaid in 20 years, including a five-year grace period.

The massive cash inflow and the selective targetting of beneficiaries have raised quite a few eyebrows. During the open forum, a member of an organization for persons with disabilities asked for proof that all that cash was really resulting in improvements in the lives of those from the marginalzied sector: women, persons with disabilities, and indigenous people.

Another participant said the government should not just measure the success of the program based on the number of children being sent and kept in school and getting health services, but also on whether all that money flowing out was stabilizing living conditions and promoting self sufficiency among beneficiaries.

Soliman, on the other hand, explained that the assessment is only first of three sets, and adjustments are still to be made on the other two to measure the impact more accurately.

According to Pantawid Pamilya National Manager Rodora Babaran, the DSWD has already conducted re-assessment and validation surveys to correct inclusion and exclusion errors in targeting beneficiaries.

“There is no such thing as a perfect system.” Babaran added, noting that errors for programs such as 4Ps are unavoidable.