Supreme Court asked to stop implementation of cash transfer program

MANILA, Philippines -  The Supreme Court (SC) has been asked to stop the government from implementing its P21-billion conditional cash transfer (CCT) program.

Former senator Aquino Pimentel Jr. and two barangay officials questioned the legality of the program, saying it violates the Constitution and the Local Government Code.

Petitioners said Malacañang had recentralized functions of the national government like delivery of social welfare and health services already assigned by law to local governments.

Local governments, not the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), should implement cash dole-out projects, they added.

At Malacañang, presidential spokespman Edwin Lacierda said the answer to Pimentel’s petition could be found in the Local Government Code.

Part of the P21-billion fund for the CCT program involved foreign loans, which the national government could handle.

Lacierda said the Office of the Solicitor General would answer the petition before the SC.

“The only prominence that the CCT has this year is because the budget has been increased to P21 billion,” he said.

“But this has been ongoing even before the previous administration.”

The administration implemented the program to directly help the poorest of the poor cope with everyday needs, especially food and other basic necessities, Lacierda said.

Pimentel was joined by Sergio Tadeo, Association of Barangay Captains chairman in Nueva Ecija; and Nelson Alcantara, chairman of Barangay Sta. Monica in Quezon City.

“Instead of allocating the P21-billion budget directly to the LGUs to enhance the delivery of this devolved basic service, what we have is a recentralization of government functions by providing the DSWD, as the lead implementing agency of the CCT, with the full control, and not merely supervision, over identification of the program beneficiaries and the manner by which the conditionalities for health care and social welfare and development services are to be delivered and complied with,” read the petition.