Rep Bongalon accuses Sen Imee Marcos of redirecting P13B from Pantawid Pamilya

An Ako Bicol party-list lawmaker accused Senator Imee Marcos of redirecting P13 billion from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in 2023, affecting nearly 900,000 households or about 4.3 million poor Filipinos.

Representative Raul Angelo Bongalon claims Senator Marcos cut the P13 billion from the 4Ps program as head of the Senate finance sub-committee overseeing DSWD's budget last year.

In response to these allegations, Senator Marcos denied redirecting funds and noted that in September 2022 hearings for the 2023 budget, only 45 percent of the 4Ps budget had been spent. She recommended reallocating the balance of P8 billion to other DSWD projects.

JC Abalos, a 4Ps party-list representative, argued that the unspent allocation in 2022 does not justify reducing the program's budget for 2023 and noted that the delay was due to updating the Listahanan or beneficiary list affected by both legislative delays and the pandemic.

Senator Marcos explained that reallocating funds was necessary to avoid returning unused funds, and these were used for supplemental feeding, Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services, Quick Response Fund for disasters, and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).

Abalos noted that the DSWD was only able to spend 45% of its 4Ps budget for 2022 because updating the beneficiary list was delayed due to legislative timing issues and the pandemic, leading to delays in cash grant distribution.

Despite Marcos' intentions, Abalos emphasized the need for a thorough examination of why funds were not fully utilized.