PHL cash transfer program good for health and education — WB 

The Philippine conditional cash transfer (CCT) program is an effective tool to push the government's objectives toward education and health for the poor, the World Bank noted in a study released Friday.

 

In the study, the Washington-based multilateral lender said 98 percent of Filipino children 6 to 11 years old belonging to households covered by the program are enrolled in schools. 

 

This compares with the 93 percent of children not covered by the CCT program, the lender said in the “Philippines Conditional Cash Transfer Program, Impact Evaluation 2012.”

 

Through the program the government gives the poorest households cash allowances every month. To stay in the program beneficiaries must send their children to public schools and for family members, especially mothers and children, to regularly undergo health checkups.

 

Also, 85 percent of children 6 to 14 years old have undergone de-worming treatment—which compares with 80 percent of children not covered by the program.

 

This year, the government has earmarked about P44 billion for conditional cash transfer.

 

“This trend indicates a shift in the spending pattern among CCT beneficiaries towards greater investments in health and education for the children,” Nazmul Chaudhury, World Bank country sector coordinator for Human Development, said in the report he co-authored.

 

Because of the favorable evaluation results of the program, the World Bank is urging the government to support and strengthen it by including more beneficiaries and extending the duration of coverage beyond five years. — VS, GMA News