Use DSWD’s ‘mega lumpsum’ to end hunger – Recto

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto wants part of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s lumpsum items in the 2015 national budget to be allotted to malnourished children.

The idea, according to the Senator, is to maximize the “mega fund” to address food inadequacy in the grassroots  by funding food security projects like irrigation and farm roads “in places whose residents have identified these as the kind they need.” 

“We should insist that it should serve our interest and we can begin by using this as a tool to fight hunger,” Recto said.

The proposed budget for the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services-National Community-Driven Development Project (KC-NDDP) is P17.5 billion ($391 million*). (READ: Community-level approach: Answer to PH poverty?) 

 Recto described it as “one of the biggest unitemized lump-sum items” in the proposed 2015 national budget.

Recto urges the DSWD to use the KC-NCDDP to improve the food security in communities plagued by malnutrition and poverty.(READ: What’s next for hunger and poverty after 2015?)

The proposed KC-NDDP budget is intended to fund more than 6000 grassroots projects with an average cost of P2.6 million ($58 million) per project with community entities overseeing the implementation.

“Kung ganoon kalaki ang pondo, siguro naman makakahanap sila ng mga proyektong magpapalakas ng huli ng isda o puwedeng magbigay ng gatas ng kalabaw sa mga bata If the budget is that big, they should be able to find a project which can improve the catch of fishermen or give carabao’s milk to children),” Recto said.

The KC-NDDP is a P43.9 billion ($1.1 billion) 5-year project financed by loans from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. – Rappler.com