DSWD: Poor households seen to increase to 20M in 2021

The number of poor households in the country may increase to 20 million in 2021, an official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the hearing of the DSWD's proposed P169-billion budget for next year, Assistant Secretary Joyce Niwani said the department's National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction had covered 16 million families.

“We are covering 16 million households [for 2021] but this could  probably increase to 20 million. That is a possibility due to lack of jobs because of the pandemic,” Niwani said.

The targeting system lists the country's poorest households who will receive cash doles through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

The program provides cash assistance to poorest households in exchange of the compliance with human development goals such as sending children to school, attending family development sessions, among others..

“Ang estimate namin…we will be having an increase from 14 million  to 16 million as projected in our listahanan which we are hoping to finish updating this year but could be extended next year,” Niwani said.

DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista said the DSWD had already finished its assessment of 14 million out of the 16 million households it hopes to enlist in the Listahanan as of August 31.

“We hope to complete the assessment by December,” Bautista said.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Glenda Relova sought Congress’ support for the passage of Marikina Representative Stella Quimbo’s proposal for mandatory social pension coverage for senior citizens.

“We want to get the support of this august body to the pending billl for the 100% coverage of social pension for our senior citizens. Sa mga focus group discussions po kasi, laging ang tanong, bakit hindi 100% [ang coverage], lalo na po para roon sa senior citizens na maliit lang ang pension nila mula roon sa pinagtrabahuhan nila,” Relova said.

“They worked hard naman po for this pension; they should be entitled to this kasi nakapag-contribute po sila sa nation building noong bata pa sila,” she added.

Relova said that local government units prioritize the oldest senior citizens in their respective areas due to the limited coverage of social pension.

“Meron po kami 91,000 na pina-add for this year, pero hindi po binigay sa amin,” Relova said.

Quimbo urged her colleagues to heed DSWD’s call.

“Pagtulungan po natin na maipasa ito kasi as it is, 39% lang po ng 8 million senior citizens ang covered ng social pension,” Quimbo, an economist, said. -NB, GMA News