4Ps, cash transfer get boost in 2020 budget

MANILA, Philippines — A total of P145.3 billion has been earmarked for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the Unconditional Cash Transfer Program that would benefit the poor, under the newly signed P4.1-trillion 2020 national budget.

“With the growth of the economy, the benefits should trickle down to the people. Support must continue to be given to the less fortunate to help them cope with their daily needs,” Rep. Bernadette Herrera of party-list Bagong Henerasyon disclosed.  

According to the senior House deputy majority leader, the 4Ps was allotted P108.8 billion under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) while P36.5 billion was allocated for the government’s continuing Unconditional Cash Transfer. 

Apart from this, the national government also allotted P1.495 trillion for social services, while P1.2 trillion was allocated for economic services. 

“Education was given priority in the national budget. We need to continuously invest in the education because this is the key to bringing families out of poverty,” Herrera, who was a member of the House contingent in the budget bicameral conference, added. 

Among the programs on education are the Universal Access for Quality Tertiary Education and the Basic Education Facilities Program. 

And with the timely signing of the spending law, there will be no more delays in the delivery of basic services this year, unlike in the first quarter of 2019 where government used a reenacted budget which was delayed by Congress for three months. 

“We in Congress ensured that the situation we had in 2019, when the government operated on a reenacted budget for four months, will not happen again this year. We almost missed our growth target last year because of the delay in the enactment of the budget,” she said.

Under the 2020 GAA, Herrera said P172.4 billion was allocated for the implementation of the Universal Health Care Law. This includes some P4 billion to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. sourced from sin tax collections.