Belmonte assures approval of Aquino's cash transfer program

The P21 billion conditional cash transfer program of the Aquino administration will be approved uncut, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. assured Friday. "It is a centerpiece of President (Benigno Simeon III) Aquino, we owe it to him, at least let’s give it a chance. After all, it is only roughly doubling of amount spent by the past administration on a similar project. As I said it is a national project and it is a centerpiece project of the administration," Belmonte said after an all-member caucus. The Speaker said the controversial CCT program will not go through a separate voting as requested by some members of the House of Representatives. “I think despite occasional misgivings here, I think we will approve it. Hindi na separate, we are voting on the budget of the department. We are not voting on programs," he added. In a separate interview with reporters, Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, House appropriations chairman, said the allocated fund for CCT and Private-Public Partnership program, “will be protected definitely." He added the administration lawmakers will fight for the approval of the CCT appropriation without any cuts. “Ipinagmamalaki yan, we have a commitment there and we believe na hindi ito dole out, these are sustainable programs. Of course we will hear debates especially pag sumalang ang DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) yung minority bibirahin yun, (pero) kami we will stick to it," he said. Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino earlier said the House appropriations committee agreed to have a separate voting on the plenary on whether it will allow or scrap CCT program. Lawmakers oppose the CCT program describing it as a dole out that will only promote an attitude of mendicacy among the poor people. The DSWD budget is expected to be discussed in the plenary early next week. Abaya said the good thing that came out from the debates on CCT was that the lawmakers are now talking about policy and not just their parochial concerns. “Now you talk about, debate on policy, on whether CCT is an appropriate development tool to address poverty. Actually the level of debate is raised," he said. On the other hand, Abaya see the plan of the DSWD to purchase vehicle as a minor issue. “It’s minor, these are not your Lexus or mamahaling sasakya na P4.5 m each. I don’t know, siguro it might end up like more than a Crosswind, hindi ko alam nabasa ko lang sa newspaper," he said. –VVP, GMANews.TV