On Tuesday, Secretary Rex Gatchalian from the Department of Social Welfare and Development stated that giving out rice for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program would be difficult in terms of logistics.
In a recent briefing at the Palace, Gatchalian said the Departments of Social Welfare and Development and Agriculture are reviewing the plan.
“We always say it’s logistically hard pero patuloy kaming nag-uusap ng Department of Agriculture kung paano ma-implement ito. Kaya logistically hard, kasi kung iisipin ninyo kalat-kalat ‘yung ating mga benepisyaryo… 4.4 million spread across different areas in the country, sometimes in the most geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, mga bundok, mga isla,” Gatchalian said.
Gatchalian mentioned that giving out rice instead of cash assistance could lead to issues with storage.
The head of the DSWD noted that, according to Arsenio Balisacan, the Secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority present at the meeting, a price study is needed for this plan.
”Sabi nga ni Secretary Balisacan, we have to do a cost analysis. Baka naman ‘yung binibigay natin na tulong eh ma-diminish dahil nga doon sa hirap naman na kunin,” the DSWD chief said.
Rice instead of cash for 4Ps ‘logistically hard’ – DSWD
Former Agriculture Undersecretary Roger Navarro stated that President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. is considering the suggestion to provide rice in the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program rather than cash.
Navarro suggested replacing cash with rice in the 4Ps to help reduce rice price increases.
“Actually, it was suggested in [a Palace press briefing] that we have the 4Ps, for example, for DSWD. We told the President that if we can convert the 4Ps instead of money, it should be on rice form, supplied by [the National Food Authority]. So we will take them out in the price pressures of the market in terms of buying high-price rice. These are 20% all over the country which are the vulnerable poor under the DSWD that is beneficiary for 4Ps,” Navarro had said.
Gatchalian revealed that the President also shared worries about the practical challenges of the suggested plan.
”I told the President we will continue studying [the proposal], but the President also said baka logistically mahihirapan. So we are not saying no, studies are ongoing, pero taken into account the logistics na kailangan para hindi mahirapan ang ating mga kababayan,” he said.
Visit our Facebook page for more news updates.