By Itchie G. Cabayan

Copyright journal

Senator Erwin Tulfo, who once served as head of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), expressed agreement on the pronouncement of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. regarding plans to divert the P36 billion originally intended for flood control funds, to fund programs that would instead benefit Filipinos who are poverty-stricken and in dire need of livelihood assistance.

Tulfo, who is also Chairman of Senate Committee on Social justice, Welfare and Rural Development, said that “instead of DPWH officials, contractors and politicians pocketing these public funds, I would rather have it allocated for the poor and marginalized.”

“If the funds are with DSWD, it will go directly to the people and not go through the hands of politicians, or even DPWH officials and contractors,” said Tulfo.

Marcos had announced that the flood control funds will be redirected to DSWD Poverty Alleviation programs such as AICS and SLP, among others.

AICS is a program of the DSWD intended to support the poor and disenfranchised Filipinos when it comes to their emergency need for medicine, hospital, burial and transportation assistance.

On the other hand. SLP provides P15,000 to communities so they can establish their own income-generating enterprises. This program is being proposed by Tulfo to be institutionalized through Senate Bill No. 766.

The senator expressed belief that “if many Filipinos who are in dire need of livelihood assistance will be given SLP by the DSWD, it would be a great start for them to finally reach their goal to have their own enterprise and eventually contribute to the economy.”

“I think it will be money well-spent if the DSWD will be able to provide business capital for Filipinos in need,” he stressed.