LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Nov. 19 (PNA)- Reelectionist Senator Teofisto ‘TG’ Guingona III vowed his support to the continuity of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the national government despite criticism lodged on the program.
Guingona said one of the main programs he will focus on is the institutionalization of said conditional cash transfer program if he gets a new term in the Senate.
The senator, speaking before the local officials of Lingayen town on Thursday, said they actually have a pending proposal in the Senate to assure that 4Ps will be continued regardless of who will lead the administration next year.
“Wala namang programang ginawa ang tao na perpecto …Ayusin natin ang problema pero ipagpatuloy natin,” (People made no perfect program. Let’s fix the problem, but let us continue the program), he said, recognizing the issues being posed against the program like the irresponsible spending of some recipients.
The 4Ps “provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor, to improve the health, nutrition, and the education of children aged 0-18.”
The senator noted that the positive impact of the program outweighs the negative like the increased number of school children.
He also said the number of maternal death in the country, which he said was highest in the world, has improved since the program advocates the regular checkup in rural health units and facility-based delivery.
Further, Guingona said he will also support the continuity of the Bottom-up Budgeting (BUB), or the program which includes communities in the grassroots in the budgeting process.
A former congressman, Guingona is currently the chairman of the Senate Committees on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations of the Senate of the Philippines or the Blue Ribbon Committee, and on Health.
Aside from visiting the capital town, he also went around other second district towns like Bugallon, Aguilar, Mangatarem, and Urbiztondo with unopposed Pangasinan second district Congressman Leopoldo Bataoil, a fellow Liberal Party member. (PNA)