Deputy Speaker Marcoleta Rodante probes involvement of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) as the House Committee on Poverty Alleviation approves House Resolution 59 on Monday (March 15).(House of Representatives)
The House Committee on Poverty Alleviation on Monday (March 16) approved House Resolution 59 seeking to examine the involvement of civil society organizations (CSOs) in the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
Deputy Speaker Marcoleta Rodante, author of the resolution, had questioned the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) practice of engaging CSOs in implementation of the 4Ps.
“I am not against any criteria that will be developed later on by the DSWD, ang nagiging problema lang sa paggawa nila ng criteria ay sumusobra ang task na ibinibigay,” Marcoleta said during a meeting of the House committee on March 1.
Under Republic Act (RA) 11310 that institutionalized the 4Ps, the involvement of CSOs is supposed to help the DSWD in monitoring the cash transfer program for poor families.
Section 16 of RA 11310 states that independent monitoring committees at the regional and national levels must be composed of representatives from the private sector and civil society organizations (CSOs) to “complement the monitoring activities of the DSWD and provide feedback for appropriate action.”
Marcoleta, however, said CSOs could not independently monitor the program if they are also asked by the DSWD to collaborate in the implementation of the 4Ps. H.N. Camba