DSWD's P5-B aid for poor prone to Palace graft – Lacson

MANILA, Philippines - The P5-billion aid program for poor families of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) may yet be another cash cow for Malacañang, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said on Monday. Lacson noted the family access card program that allows poor families to buy cheaper rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) had already been tainted with names of dead persons. "If the access card system is already tainted with fraud this early, how much more if actual cash is involved?" Lacson said in Filipino. "I don't doubt the integrity of (DWSD) Secretary (Esperanza) Cabral. But when Malacañang meddles, an unscrupulous official could pocket half the amount. And how will you pick the 300,000 families." Lacson was referring to the number of beneficiaries the program is targeting. Church officials, he noted, have also questioned the wisdom of giving away mere doleouts as this would only encourage laziness and dependence on government. "Instead of teaching them to fish, you are just putting fish on their tables," Lacson said. "That would encourage laziness." - GMANews.TV