(Eagle News) — President Aquino asked the public to study the platforms of the various candidates for the 2016 elections, and at the same time urged the people to choose a leader who will continue the government’s conditional cash transfer program.
The President said this during the Jesse Robredo Day Multi-Sectoral Forum held in Naga City, Camarines Sur province to commemorate the third death anniversary of the former interior secretary,
The President’s project, conditional cash transfer program, also known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), has benefitted millions of families, according to Malacanang.
“Meron hong nagsasabing itutuloy, ang Pantawid Pamilya. Meron namang tumutuligsa sa Pantawid Pamilya. Kung gusto mong ipagpatuloy ‘yung 4Ps e, tulungan mo ‘yung tutulong na magpatuloy ang 4Ps kesa doon sa nagsasabing itigil ang 4Ps,” said the President, who was accompanied by some of his Cabinet members during the trip.
“Lahat ng kandidatong haharap sa inyo sa susunod na taon may plataporma. Suriin niyo ‘yung plataporma. May kailangan kayo, mayroon kayong tama at lehitimong pangangailangan. Iparating niyo sa kanila at pakinggan niyo ang sagot. Kung hindi angkop ‘yung sagot, bakit ninyo iboboto? Kung tama ‘yung sagot, tulungan ninyo,” he said.
President Aquino said the conditional cash transfer program began with 800,000 families as beneficiaries and has grown to cover 4.4 million families.
He said that more than 300,000 make up the first batch of high school graduates, 13,000 of them with honors.
The President said that over P260 billion have been spent on the program because of its importance. He said he believed it was important for poor children to have a chance at good education.
“Ang sabi ng tatay ko sa akin noong araw, kapag pinag-aral ka at natuto ka, habang buhay ready ka na, mangyari na ang mangyayari. So, gusto kong ibigay ang pagkakataon sa lahat. ‘Yung ating bottom 20 percent ng population ang nakikinabang nito,” he said.
The President said the CCT program provided benefits directly to the poor.
“Tapos nakakabawi rin ang gobyerno dahil sa buwis na binabayad ng mga mas maganda na ang trabahong pinasukan, nabibigyan natin ang susunod na salinlahi naman ng pagkakataon,” he said. (with a PND report)