National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Secretary Liza Maza said that the 2018 National budget will be used to fund the same neo-liberal policies and programs that have prevented the growth of the local economy, kept agriculture backward, and normalized labor schemes, such as labor contractualization.
Sec. Maza added that even the United Nations, in its UNCTAD 2017 report on trade and development, recognizes that neo-liberal economic policies have always been biased in favor of “a handful of large corporations, financial institutions, and wealthy individuals.”
“We have massive P1.097 trillion funding for an intensive infrastructure program that will displace poor communities while only 28% (Php624.9 million) is allocated for their relocation, a Php1.5 billion ($29 million) budget cut for direct health services, no budget allocation for the implementation of the Free Tuition Law, and no substantial budget for free land distribution,” Sec. Maza further said.
The NAPC Secretary also expressed concern over the Php145 billion for the AFP, and an additional Php25 billion for the AFP modernization program and a P131.5-billion budget for the Philippine National Police (PNP), Php900 million of which was allocated for the government’s anti-drug campaign. The PNP budget was approved in the early morning of September 7. The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), on the other hand, was allocated a Php1, 000 budget on September 12 from its proposed budget of Php678 million. å
“National security should go beyond fighting drugs and crime. Socio-economic policies that will address basic needs will secure the people,” Sec. Maza added.
Kilos para sa Sampung Batayang Pangangailangan (Kilos Sambayanan), NAPC’s anti-poverty agenda, is anchored on the provision of the 10 basic needs of the poor, food and land reform, water, shelter, work, healthcare, education, social protection, healthy environment, peace, and people’s participation. It is a call for convergence and a commitment among all sectors of society to address poverty across its many dimensions and represents the ultimate measuring stick of the impact of government programs on the lives of the poor.
“The true measure of the economic development of a country is the standard of living of majority of its people – do they have adequate food to eat, clean water, decent shelter, quality education, quality healthcare, secured jobs with substantial wages, social protection? Are they able to live and raise their children in a healthy, and peaceful environment? Are they able to participate in the decision-making processes of their community and government? If your national budget does not prioritize these basic needs, then it is nothing but a war chest, that primarily targets the poor and marginalized sectors of the society,” Sec. Maza further said. | NAPC- PR
