We are surprised that some of our political leaders are questioning the substantial funds being proposed for  programs directed at helping poor Filipinos survive and climb out of poverty.  We ask them to instead support the proposed 2011 budget and move our country on the straight path to poverty reduction and people empowerment.  

 

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The first of the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, the target being to halve, between 1990 and 2015, the number of poor people. However, 4.0 million Filipino families suffer from hunger as estimated by SWS in June 2010, which is 300,000 more than the estimate in June 2009. Furthermore, the proportion of poor Filipinos rose from 30% in 2003 to 33% to 2006, and is widely expected to have further increased due to the rice and oil price hikes and the global financial crisis in 2008 and the strong typhoons Frank, Ondoy and Pepeng in 2008 and 2009.  Thus, we welcome and strongly support the proposed budget for 2011 of the Aquino Administration, particularly the substantial funds earmarked for programs that directly address the important and immediate needs of poor Filipinos.

The President’s budget for 2011 allocates P21.2 billion for the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program, which grants a monthly stipend of up to P1,400 to each of 2.3 million identified poor families – provided they abide by conditions such as sending their children to school and bringing them to health clinics for vaccinations. This doubles the number of CCT beneficiaries from only 1 million this year.  This is still just half of the 4.6 million poor families identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR), but this is certainly a big step in the right direction. 

In addition, the President’s 2011 budget provides P2.8 billion for a feeding program for children, P4.2 billion for a rice subsidy program for poor families, P890 million for monthly stipends for Filipinos aged 80 years and above and P881 million for a Food-for-Work Program for internally displaced persons.  The proposed 2011 budget also provides P3.5 billion for health insurance premiums of the 4.6 million poor families and for 1.4 million households in the informal sector.  The proposed budget clearly pays attention and puts its money for programs for the poor.

We would like to emphasize that as the immediate needs of our poor and hungry fellows are being addressed, it is vital to also ensure that they are given the opportunities for decent jobs and livelihoods and access to basic and productive assets.  Along this line, we are heartened that the proposed budget for 2011 increases the funds for the Community Mortgage Program (CMP) from P170 million this year to P500 million, which will benefit 20,000 urban poor households.  The budget for the National Housing Authority (NHA) will also be increased from P3.6 billion to P4.4 billion for the resettlement of poor families including those displaced by typhoon Ondoy.

We also welcome the P10.2 billion proposed for acquisition and distribution of agricultural lands by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), contributing to the purchase of 300,000 hectares of lands or 20% of the lands yet to be distributed under the agrarian reform program.  We hope that enough funds would also be allocated for the delineation of at least 200 of the 915 municipal waters that can immediately benefit 300,000 small fisherfolk households and the distribution of certificate of ancestral domain titles to indigenous people communities.

We are surprised that some of our political leaders are questioning the substantial funds being proposed for these programs directed at helping poor Filipinos survive and climb out of poverty.  We ask them to instead support the proposed budget and move our country on the straight path to poverty reduction and people empowerment.

23 September 2010

(This statement was signed by various organizations. Those listed below are the signatories of the different organizations.)

Anna Marie A. Karaos, Chairperson
Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO)

Florencia Casanova-Dorotan, Executive Committee Member
Women’s Action Network for Development (WAND)

Veronica Villavicencio, National Council Member
Change Politics Movement

Crispino T. Aguelo, President
Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA)

Norman Jiao, Executive Director
Association of Foundations

Sylvia Paraguya, CEO
National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO)

Teresa Nuqui, President
National Council of Social Development Foundation (NCSD)

Benedict Balderrama, National Coordinator
Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies, Inc. (PHILSSA)

Joy Oropesa-Bañares, Coordinator
Coalition for Bicol Development (CBD)

Emmanuel Areño, Executive Director
Western Visayas Network of Social Development NGOs (WEVNET)
and Iloilo CODE

Patricia Sarenas, Chairperson
Mindanao Coalition of Development NGO Networks (MINCODE)

Agustin Docena, Chairperson
Eastern Visayas Network of NGOs and POs (EVNET)
and Samar Island Biodiversity Foundation (SIBF)
 
Elizabeth Yang, Executive Director
PILIPINA, Inc.

Arturo C. Nuera, Executive Director
People’s Alternative Study Center for Research &Education in Social/Development (PASCRES)

Antonio G. M. La Viña, Dean
Ateneo School of Government, Ateneo de Manila University

Luz Malibiran, Executive Director
Community Organizers Multiversity (COM)

Edwin ‘Bobot’ Nerva
Center for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (CARRD)

Ma. Anna Ignacio, Executive Director
KASAGANA-KA Development Center Inc.

Primo C. Lamela, Executive Director
Kapunungan Alang Sa Kauswagan Sa Kasadpan-Sugbu, Inc. (KAKASAKA-SUGBU)

Emil B. Justimbaste, Chief Executive Trustee
Pagtinabangay Foundation, Leyte

Ermin Stan B Pimentel, Coordinator
Change Politics Movement – Cagayan De Oro

Evhoy Villaruel, Coordinator
CO Multiversity sa Mindanaw
Change Politics Movement – Central Mindanao

Jun Mabaso, Chairperson
Citizens Volunteer Assembly – Bukidnon
People Power Volunteers for Reform (‘Magkabalikat sa Pagbabago’)

Jojo Leyson
Center for Social Concerns and Development Inc. (CESCOD), Zamboanga del Norte

Pepe Gasapo, Executive Director
Cebu Labor Education Advocacy and Research Center (CLEAR)

Invictus M. Paradela, Executive Director
Fellowship for Organizing Endeavors, Inc. (FORGE), Cebu City

Antonio Altamarino Jr.,Chairman
Movement for Accelerated Development Efforts in Bicol, Inc. (MADE in Bicol, Inc.)

Arthur Regala, President
HS‘63ADEN, Inc., Camarines Sur

Maximino R. Cordero, President
Concerned Negrenses for Good Governance (CNGG), Inc.

Jean V. Justimbaste
Citizen Volunteers Assembly – Ormoc

Vicente Matugas, Chairman
Province of Zamboanga Sibugay Rubber Farmers Association (PZSRFA)

Sr. Celerina Zabala
KAPPIA, Abra

John Abejuro, Manager
Peoples Center for Research, Advocacy and Good Governance (RAGE)
Bicol Consortium for Development Initiatives (BCDI)

Lina Melecio Tan, Executive Director
Liwawa Ed Asinan Foundation, Pangasinan

Gemma Rita R. Marin, Executive Director
John J. Carroll Institute on Church and Social Issues (JJC-ICSI)

Isabelita Solamo–Antonio, Executive Director
PILIPINA Legal Resources Center, Davao City

Godfrey Dominong
Ifugao Network of Development NGOs and POs

Mario Ian N. Mosquisa
Eastern Samar Social Development Organization

Joel M. Calla, Executive Director
Bicol Hegemony for Empowerment & Rural Development (BHEARD), Inc.

MM RC Diaz, Managing Director
EDCADS Inc, Butuan City

Bernardo J. Aragoza , Coordinator
Samahan ng Magsasaka sa Kabite

Jimmy E. Geronimo
Peoples Alternative Center for Environmental & Sectoral Services, Inc (PACESS,INC)
Agusanon Para sa Bag-ong Pilipino (AGUS PINOY), Agusan del Sur

Jose Morales, President
Ugnayang Lakas ng Mga Apektadong Pamilya sa Baybaying Ilog-Pasig at mga Trobutaryo (ULAP)

Angelita Gregorio-Medel
ANSA-EAP, Ateneo School of Government