With some 12 million Filipinos vulnerable to disasters and extreme weather conditions, independent presidential contender Sen. Grace Poe said the government should come up with a mechanism that will protect families against disaster-driven poverty.
Poe, who is running under the banner of "Gobyernong may Puso," is pushing for the coverage of those affected by calamities in the unconditional cash transfer program being proposed by her running mate, Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero, chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.
"Sa mga lugar kung saan nasasalanta ng bagyo at trahedya, magkaroon man lang ng period kung saan bibigyan 'yung mga pamilya ng mahihirap ng panandaliang CCT (Conditional Cash Transfer) habang sila'y bumabangon sa trahedya," Poe said.
According to a report by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), poor households who are affected by floods or typhoons in the past 12 months lose around seven percent of their per capita income.
In 2012, there were 4.2 million poor families with a monthly income of less than P7,890 per month. With 20-30 cyclones hitting the Philippines every year, these families would be poorer by P552 per month and are not likely to recover.
Poe said this cycle of poverty must not be allowed to continue.
"Importante sa bansa natin kung saan maraming naghihirap ay ang kamay ng gobyerno na hihila sa kanila para tumulong. Ipagpapatuloy natin ang pantawid pampamilya at gaya nga ng sinabi ni Senator Chiz, hindi yan kondisyon kundi unconditional cash transfer para sa mga biktima ng kalamidad," the senator said.
Aside from the immediate assistance to be given by her "Gobyernong may Puso" to families affected by calamities, Poe is also proposing the inclusion of those in the near poor threshold (NPT) in the CCT program.
Families in the NPT have a monthly income of P12,400 and have a few assets but can easily become poor as they have little or no buffer against economic shocks such as a health crisis, death of a breadwinner or disasters.
"Hindi lamang 4Ps, gawin nating 5Ps para kasama ang pangkabuhayan. Puwede kayong bigyan ng pondo para sa livelihood sapagkat kawawa naman ang iba nating mga kababayan na humihiram ng pera sa 5-6 na halos dalawampung porsyento ang ibinabayad," Poe said.
"Dapat nandiyan ang gobyerno para tumulong," she said.
The government allocated P62.7 billion for the CCT program in 2016, which covers 4.35 million poor households.//
Poe, who is running under the banner of "Gobyernong may Puso," is pushing for the coverage of those affected by calamities in the unconditional cash transfer program being proposed by her running mate, Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero, chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.
"Sa mga lugar kung saan nasasalanta ng bagyo at trahedya, magkaroon man lang ng period kung saan bibigyan 'yung mga pamilya ng mahihirap ng panandaliang CCT (Conditional Cash Transfer) habang sila'y bumabangon sa trahedya," Poe said.
According to a report by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), poor households who are affected by floods or typhoons in the past 12 months lose around seven percent of their per capita income.
In 2012, there were 4.2 million poor families with a monthly income of less than P7,890 per month. With 20-30 cyclones hitting the Philippines every year, these families would be poorer by P552 per month and are not likely to recover.
Poe said this cycle of poverty must not be allowed to continue.
"Importante sa bansa natin kung saan maraming naghihirap ay ang kamay ng gobyerno na hihila sa kanila para tumulong. Ipagpapatuloy natin ang pantawid pampamilya at gaya nga ng sinabi ni Senator Chiz, hindi yan kondisyon kundi unconditional cash transfer para sa mga biktima ng kalamidad," the senator said.
Aside from the immediate assistance to be given by her "Gobyernong may Puso" to families affected by calamities, Poe is also proposing the inclusion of those in the near poor threshold (NPT) in the CCT program.
Families in the NPT have a monthly income of P12,400 and have a few assets but can easily become poor as they have little or no buffer against economic shocks such as a health crisis, death of a breadwinner or disasters.
"Hindi lamang 4Ps, gawin nating 5Ps para kasama ang pangkabuhayan. Puwede kayong bigyan ng pondo para sa livelihood sapagkat kawawa naman ang iba nating mga kababayan na humihiram ng pera sa 5-6 na halos dalawampung porsyento ang ibinabayad," Poe said.
"Dapat nandiyan ang gobyerno para tumulong," she said.
The government allocated P62.7 billion for the CCT program in 2016, which covers 4.35 million poor households.//
