MANILA -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Tuesday disclosed that it is targeting to reduce the poverty incidence from the current 21.6 percent down to 14% by 2022.
In her first press conference, DSWD Acting Secretary Virginia Orogo said that “the DSWD targets to reduce at least 14 percent the current poverty incidence of 21.6 before the term of President Rodrigo R. Duterte expires in 2022.”
“Bago matapos ang term ni President Duterte sa 2022, at least mabawasan ng 14 percent ang poverty incidence (Before the end of President Duterte’s term in 2022, at least the poverty incidence will be reduced by 14 percent),” Orogo said.
Orogo noted that the reduction of poverty incidence may be achieved earlier if the economic condition in the country improves.
“We’re doing our best in the current programs which are being implemented. Little by little, we are doing our best to reduce the poverty incidence by 2022,” Orogo said.
She said they are working with the past leadership of the DSWD to achieve the anti-poverty goals of the government.
“Right now we really have to work together with former DSWD Sec. Leyco to be able to achieve the marching orders of the President,” Orogo said.
Orogo was DSWD Undersecretary for Special Concerns before she was appointed as DSWD Acting Secretary.
The DSWD Chief also said that the streetchildren program is “center-based” in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
“The current program, the usual program. Everytime there are streetchildren. It’s the DSWD. But the DILG is also involved as the DSWD is already a devolved agency,” Orogo said.
Among the current programs of the DSWD are the unconditional cash transfer (UCT), social protection program, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), and supplemental feeding.
Under the so-called “one-time, big-time”, the DSWD gives PHP2,400 each for the 4.5 million beneficiaries in the 4Ps.
Another 3 million beneficiaries are under the social pension program such as the indigents and senior citizens as well as 2.6 million beneficiaries culled from the database or “listahan”.
Orogo said that under the 4Ps, 4.1 million beneficiaries out of the 4.5 million are being paid out by the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).
On the other hand, Orogo said that the DSWD is the one tasked to prepare the list of the 10 million beneficiaries of the UCT and the Land Bank has the P24-billion budget to be allotted to the qualified identified beneficiaries.
The actual beneficiary of the social pension, between May and June this year, to be allotted with funds for the 17 regions of the country.
The DSWD submitted the requirements to the LBP.
Leakages/errors are being avoided by validation of the households between May and June. Around 4.4 million beneficiaries of the 4Ps have been PHP500 each, which the DSWD said, is “too small for senior citizens and sick people.”
Before the end of September, Orogo said the 10 million beneficiaries will get their unconditional cash transfer benefits.
“UCT ang panagot sa pagbabago ng standing ng ekonomiya. Hindi masyado malaki. Maliit sa tingin. Sa mahirap po, ito ay malaking bagay (The UCT is the answer to the changes in the standing of the economy. It’s not really big. It’s small. For the poor, this is a big help),” Orogo said.
“UCT is another task given to us, but the normal operations of the DSWD will continue and will not stop to come up with a program that will help the people,” Orogo said.
“It’s now the opportunity for the people to come together and help the less unfortunate, or the 21 percent poor, in the country,” she added. (PNA)
