Daily Tribune
PHOTOGRAPHS BY KING RODRIGUEZ FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNE
“Ayuda” or cash aid programs intended for marginalized sectors should not be a permanent policy of the government, Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said on Thursday.
Ejercito said an “exit mechanism” should be included in the government’s cash aid programs to stop the public from getting used to the “ayuda” mentality or mendicancy.
“I think government agencies should have exit mechanisms in their programs. It should be more sustainable. Let us look for long-term solutions such as jobs and livelihood opportunities instead of short ones,” he said.
“I am not against ayuda and other programs, but they should be only temporary. They should be able to graduate to something more sustainable, which is for the long term,” he added.
Ejercito noted that the budgets allotted for the social amelioration programs were “getting bigger and bigger, but we do not get something in return.”
“We want to help them, but it should lead to something like jobs and opportunities,” he said.
Under this year’s General Appropriations Act, almost P500 billion was allotted for the social amelioration programs of the government for at least 12 million poor and low-income families.
Ejercito, who admitted to being guilty of participating in the distribution of cash aid programs of various government agencies, said politicians should not participate in such activities.
“It is unethical. That would not be ideal. I am guilty because I was getting invitations. Local officials requesting for our presence,” he said. “However, politicians should not interfere in the process.”
He noted that some local government officials have taken advantage of transaction fees and kickbacks to divert funds intended for the needy. On Tuesday, he claimed corruption in San Juan City’s implementation of the government’s job-generation program TUPAD. (See related story)
Of the P7,500 cash aid intended for each displaced worker, he alleged that only P1,000 was given to the beneficiaries while the rest went to kickbacks for San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora and city councilors.
