Marcos cool to rice instead of money as 4Ps aid

The government will still consider the proposal to give rice instead of cash aid to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) even if President Marcos and Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian think it may be logistically difficult.

- HELEN FLORES

Gatchalian said the matter was tackled during a sectoral meeting with Marcos at Malacañang yesterday, which focused on strengthening the 4Ps, the conditional cash transfer program that started during the Arroyo administration.

“We always say it’s logistically hard,” Gatchalian told reporters when asked to comment on the recommendation of Agriculture Undersecretary Roger Navarro to have rice as assistance instead of money.

“But we continue to talk with the Department of Agriculture on how to implement this. So logistically it’s hard if you think about it. We have 4.4 million beneficiaries spread across different areas in the country,” Gatchalian pointed out.

He said providing rice subsidy to 4Ps beneficiaries may also go against the directive of the President to ensure speedy and convenient access to all assistance from the government. “We’re not saying no. Studies are ongoing, but taking into account the logistics that are needed so that our countrymen won’t suffer,” Gatchalian said.