“For the bureaucrat, the world is a mere object to be manipulated by him.” – KARL MARX.
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Let’s give Rep. Paulo “Pulong” Duterte a round of applause.
He is pushing for the passage of a law that provides subsidy or financial assistance to parents of children with disabilities (CWD).
Without doubt, this legislative concept is one of the most commendable proposals I have heard in years that should deserve immediate unanimous plenary approval and passage because it is sound and essentially fills in a great need.
(I am giving this proposal my total support because I personally know how it is to have a CWD in the family.)
Among the salient points are the “provision of a monthly P2K financial assistance to biological parents and court-approved guardians of children with disabilities (CWDs) to help alleviate the challenges that continuously face them amid the rising costs of living.”
The beneficiaries as embodied in the proposal are “children below 21 years of age with physical and mental impairment that substantially limits one or more functions or activities.”
As expounded, CWDs refer to children with records of similar impairment or being regarded as having such an impairment.
While the government has for close to two decades summarily providing indigent and low-income families financial assistance as embodied in the 4Ps, this pro-poor program has suffered embarrassing moments.
The 4Ps was laudable in concept but was much abused in practice as monitoring of the program was at best lackadaisical and supervision became a robotic duty of those who were supposed to ensure its success.
The Duterte CWD proposal is easy to implement because one can spot a child with disability just by initial contact and visual encounter.
Unlike the 4Ps where one needs to look into documentary records as to the financial incapacity of a prospective beneficiary, spotting a CWD and qualifying him (her) won’t even need a medical record.
For instance, talking to a mute or deaf or visually-impaired child, watching a CWD walk or run are enough proof that
they are deserving of financial aid.
Of course, parents who have adequate income may not need this ayuda if the proposal is meant only to assist poor (even under-employed) parents and guardians of CWDs.
There should not be much contrarian argument or debate on this Duterte proposal although a wider and more extensive discussion in the plenary is necessary and ideal to cover all bases and leave no stone unturned.
Sometimes, I am beginning to think that with so many types of financial ‘ayuda’ the government has been doling out, this country may turn out to be a welfare state in the future.
And if it does, it is quite ironic because as a Third World country, we cannot even provide and secure food security for our citizens who continue to grapple with the rising cost of food prices.
This circumstance adds more reason why a favorable approval for the P2K monthly subsidy for parents of CWD is indeed necessary and of great need.
For one thing, jeepney drivers who earn daily wages when they go out and drive are luckier because the government continues to listen to their pleas because of the soaring fuel costs and vehicle maintenance.
If I may add, perhaps the Duterte proposal; should include a provision that “a continuous subsidy should be granted to biological parents and guardians until the CWDs finish college or such tertiary academic education even if they are past 21 years old.
This, I seriously think, will essentially serve the purpose of the ayuda because it will ensure, to a certain degree, that the CWDs will get to finish schooling that will capably help them seek and gain productive employment and income.
Life is getting harder these times.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has already dragged on for a year without any clear perspective of whether there is peace on the horizon.
Neither Russia, the invader, and Ukraine, the invaded, appear to be winning and neither is willing to raise the white flag.
Talk about pride.
And so, the world suffers in silence but its anger is quietly raging inside.
With this as a backdrop for color and emphasis, our narrative today should ring a bell among lawmakers in both chambers of Congress. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!.
