“GIVE a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime” sounds lovely, in fact noble and inspiring.
But that concept is alien to most Filipinos inflicted with the squatter mentality. This is probably more to their liking: “Give me fish so you feed me every day for a lifetime and I don’t have to fish anymore.”
And to some Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Programor 4Ps beneficiary also afflicted with the squatter mentality, it would probably go something like this: “Give me cash dole outs regularly so I don’t have to work anymore and have capital for sabong, tong- its, pusoy and shabu.”
For the uninformed: Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, formerly Bangon Pamilyang Pilipino, is a conditional cash transfer program of the Philippine government under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
It is now a permanent program of the government requiring regular appropriations from the budget of DSWD under Republic Act No. 11310 or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Act.
This government program provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor in the Philippines. It aims to break the cycle of poverty by keeping children aged 0-18 healthy and in school, so they can have a better future.
Households receive cash grants if children stay in school and get regular health check-ups, have their growth monitored, and receive vaccines. Pregnant women must get pre-natal care, with their births attended to by professional health workers. Parents or guardians are required to participate in monthly community-based Family Development Sessions to learn about positive child discipline, disaster preparedness, and women’s rights.
Unfortunately, as in any government program, it is very much prone to abuses i.e. it has been used as a political tool particularly during elections (I need not elaborate, you very well know what I mean). The beneficiaries themselves particularly those inflicted with squatter mentality no longer work instead just wait for their monthly dole out from this program.
These abuses, particularly with some beneficiaries, have become more glaring in this Enhanced Community Quarantine or ECQ due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There were reports of 4Ps beneficiaries caught by the police in a shabu buy-bust operation, beneficiaries caught gambling and joining cockfights. Seems a far cry from the program’s aim of poverty alleviation.
It would seem that the government is using the people’s money to finance the vices of these “poorest of the poor” inflicted with squatter mentality.
The government should seriously consider reviewing this 4Ps program, not to scrap it entirely but to channel the funds into livelihood programs, something like “cash for work” and not just dole outs which breeds lazy beneficiaries.
Lately some bright boys or girls, or gays just to be politically correct about it, have taken to social media to compare the Philippines with Vietnam, Taiwan and Singapore in the way the COVID-19 pandemic has been handled.
As expected, the comparisons have not been exactly kind or even constructive. You can immediately see the motive which, as usual, puts the Philippines in a bad light with the ulterior motive of also putting President Rodrigo Duterte in a bad light, and the ultimate goal is of course to bring him down.
Just another day in your typical keyboard warrior’s #oustduterte hashtag revolution happening in the figments of his/her or whatever gender you prefer imagination.
Although the Philippines and those countries mentioned are in the same sort of geographical region which is Southeast Asia, the keyboard warriors in their state of orgasmic fit (you know finding another issue to throw at Duterte) and lack of research skills failed to notice a very glaring factor missing in the Philippines but is present in these countries.
DISCIPLINE is what’s missing in this country and what is alien to most Filipinos, so don’t be surprised if we’re the least safe country in Southeast Asia with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Discipline is the practice of making people obey rules or standards of behaviour, and punishing them when they do not. Discipline is the quality of being able to behave and work in a controlled way which involves obeying particular rules or standards.
Every night the police apprehend hundreds of people breaking quarantine curfew. We have people staging cockfights in the middle of quarantine. We have Sen. Koko Pimentel breaking quarantine.
Discipline is not in the DNA of the Filipino but this: Hubris – a personality quality of extreme or foolish pride or dangerous overconfidence, often in combination with (or synonymous with) arrogance. (brotherlouie16@gmail.com/PN)
