Viewpoints
Conditional Cash Transfer equals…
By +Oscar V. Cruz, JCD
THE infamous Conditional Cash Transfer being assiduously funded by this government through merciless direct and indirect taxes imposed on all Filipinos – the CCT recipients included – can mean anything but its ridiculously claimed intention of poverty alleviation. Is it too hard to understand that CCT is a plain and direct dole-out system? Is it too difficult to see that CCT is nothing more than a band-aid solution in alleviating poverty? Is it too complex to see the wisdom behind the ancient saying that instead but giving them fish, teach people instead how to fish?
Slash the budget for education. Remove the subsidy for transportation. Keep on regulating the prices of prime commodities while deregulating the immense earnings of big oil companies. Let salaries stagnate while promoting contractualization – plus outsourcing. Covet the money of the Judiciary. Spend much for repeated travels only to get but investment promises and more promises from inimical Countries at that.
With the above composite sad and worrisome background, the is the CCT demanding much more money to give away to the poor – the most used and abused people in the Philippines. This year, the demand to fund the band-aid program is nothing less than a whopping P39 billion! Never mind where and how to get the money from other government agencies – with one exception. The DSWD proudly and gleefully acting as Santa Clause of the government. Question: Instead of simply giving away the money of others to the supposed CCT target beneficiaries, why not “teach these how to fish” – such as by acquainting them how to manage small livelihood programs, how to have cooperatives and other dignified and dignifying earning ventures? Why not? As of now, there are three answers being forwarded to justify CCT – in addition to the downright reality or strong perception that CCT is the affirmation of indolence and the promotion of dependence.
It appears that the CCT is nothing more than a fertile source of gross graft and corrupt practices. There are a number of layers of covetous disburses before the supposed recipients get their cash – the use of ATM included.
It seems that the CCT is ultimately nothing more than an easy means, a cheap way of popular self-advertisement, self-introduction and self-presentation this early in the political life of the Country.
It sounds wherefore both reasonable and credible to say that the CCT is basically nothing else than an early election campaign of those primarily well as those directly involved with the regular San Claus gimmickry.
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