Press Release
September 30, 2011

DRILON SEEKS TO REALIGN DSWD OVERHEAD COST

Senator Franklin Drilon on Friday sought the realignment of some P1 billion in implementation cost of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), saying the fund could be used to expand the benefits under the program.

Drilon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, questioned the high overhead cost of the program, saying the savings for this year could be used to bankroll the construction of classrooms, day care centers and core shelters, among others.

"I would like to see either you build classrooms, core shelters or day care centers in order to address the supply side," Drilon told DSWD officials during a budget hearing, also suggesting that the DSWD could increase the number of beneficiaries.

Based on the utilization of this year's implementation cost, Drilon said the agency could save about P1 billion out of the P4 billion implementation cost for CCT, also called the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon "Dinky" Soliman said the agency "commits to submit a detailed budget on the implementation cost realigned for 2011 as agreed upon in this hearing."

Likewise, Drilon ordered the DSWD to review their overhead costs for CCT and the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Pamana) program for next year. The DSWD allotted P4.8 billion to implement CCT next year, representing 12% of the P39.4 billion fund for CCT, while P87 million, or about 15% of the P586.7 million Pamana fund for 2012, is earmarked as implementation cost.

In scrutinizing the DSWD's proposed P49.2 billion budget for 2012, Drilon said part of the agency's implementation cost for CCT included an allocation of P1.8 billion in salaries, from this year's P716 million and production of information and advocacy materials, from P333 million this year to P362.2 million.

"It is as if all materials will disappear next year," Drilon stated. "To me, this can stand improvement and I would suggest that you take a second look at your implementation cost to reduce this so that you can have more beneficiaries."

Soliman said, "We will be providing the chair and the committee also a detailed expenditure under the implementation cost for 2012. On the Pamana budget, we will be reviewing the P87 million administrative cost."

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