The Senate approved on second reading Wednesday night the joint resolution that will allow the government to convert to rice its cash assistance for the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and other rice subsidy programs.
But the measure would have to wait until November 4 before it is approved on third reading, since Senate has adjourned for a month-long break.
In their session Wednesday, senators tackled Senate Joint Resolution No. 8, which seeks to authorize the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to give rice, instead of cash, to 4.1 million 4Ps beneficiaries. The rice should be purchased “directly” from Filipino rice farmers.
The move was floated to help local rice farmers keep up with the liberalized importation of rice due to the enactment of the Rice Tariffication Law last March.
The resolution, sponsored by Senate agriculture committee chair Senator Cynthia Villar, stated that the DSWD, being the implementing agency for the 4Ps, received the largest fund of the P33.9 billion that Congress has allotted for rice subsidies.
The 4Ps grants the beneficiaries rice subsidy in the form of financial assistance in the amount of P600 per month, equivalent to 20 kilos of rice, the measure said. This is on top of the cash assistance given to the same beneficiaries of P300 per month or P3,600 per year.
It noted that the DSWD mentioned in the recent Senate budget hearing that it has P6.97 billion remaining for the rice subsidy program. (Vanne Terrazola)
