`Fake news si Meralco' – DSWD chief

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian defended the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries who are currently receiving public backlash due to the high generation charge of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco).

“Una, fake news si Meralco. Hindi 4Ps ang rason kung bakit lumaki ang pag singil noong April. Yung bill shock na yun nanggaling sa sarili nilang generation. Tumaas ang generation expense nila,” Secretary Gatchalian said during his live studio interview with Ivan Mayrina for ‘Unang Hirit’ on Wednesday (May 6).

The DSWD chief stressed that 4Ps households have low monthly electricity consumption, unlike residential units or commercial establishments that use more appliances.

“Napakaliit lang ng kinukonsumo ng 4Ps. Una, pag sinumatotal mo lahat, ang average niyan, wala pang kalahati ng sentimo ang napupunta sa lifeline rate, P0.40 centavos. Ibig sabihin wala pang kalahati ng isang sentimo. Ganun kaliit, kasi nga ang 4Ps halos wala namang appliances sa bahay ‘yan para patakbuhin. To the most isang electric fan at ilang bumbilya. So, hindi sila ang rason kung bakit sumipa ng ganun kalaki,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.

Based on recent data, only 135,411 4Ps households are currently enrolled in the Lifeline Rate Subsidy Program (LRSP) compared to Meralco’s 8.11 million residential, business, and industrial customers.

In terms of revisiting the Expanded Lifeline Rate Law, Secretary Gatchalian said the DSWD is open to amend the law as long as the rates will not be passed to consumers.

“Sang ayon kami doon sa panukala, maliit lang ito dapat i-absorb na ng Meralco. At sana, kapag tinawag na kami, tatawagin kami sa Senado para i-revisit ang panukalang iyan, ako ang sasabihin ko, biro mo, sa laki ng kanilang sinisingil, dapat sana sila mag-absorb nito. Parang CSR na nila, yung corporate social responsibility na nila,” the DSWD chief stated.

During the Unang Hirit interview, Secretary Gatchalian reiterated his gratitude to taxpayers for helping the government to fund the DSWD’s social protection programs, especially the 4Ps.

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa middle class natin na patuloy na nag-provide sa pamamagitan ng buwis nila, ng pondo para mapatakbot ang mga programa na ito. Hindi natin maipagkakaila ‘yan na walang 4Ps kung walang middle class. At nagpapasalamat kami sa kanila. At sinasabi ko nga na itong mga programa nila ay programa para walang maiwanan,” the DSWD chief noted.

Secretary Gatchalian further emphasized that through the help of taxpayers, the Marcos Administration’s goal of reducing the country’s poverty incidence to single-digit will be attainable by 2028.

“Gusto nga ng ating Pangulo, Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., pag-alis niya dapat single digit na lang. So yun naman ang mandato natin. Pero ang personal assessment ko, ibibigay ko lang yung datos sa’yo, halos 12 million na ang nakatapos ng pag-aaral dahil sa 4Ps. Halos 32,000 to 39,000 na ang mga board passers galing sa pamilya ng 4Ps. Imagine nyo, million-million pamilya na ang may naproduce na isang graduate kada pamilya. Yung graduate na yun, importante yun kasi siya naman yung tatawid sa sarili niyang pamilya para masiguradong na hindi sila lugmok na lugmok sa kahirapan,” the DSWD chief explained to Unang Hirit.

The 4Ps is the national poverty reduction strategy and a human capital investment program of the Philippine government, with the DSWD as the lead agency.

Eligible household-beneficiaries are entitled to receive cash subsidies if the conditions on health, nutrition, and education are strictly complied. (AKDL)

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