Food coupons program an insult Kadamay

THE Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay), an urban poor organization, Saturday criticized the food coupon program of the government claiming that the program is an "insult and would not genuinely solve poverty in the country."

Kadamay Davao chair Inday Duterte scoffed at the plan to have breadwinners render community service in exchange for the P1,200 monthly supplement.

"We are already struggling to make both ends meet to earn additional incomes, and now the government wants us to do community work for the paltry P1,200 per month? Government officials are not expected to do extra community work if they get extra cash. Why discriminate against us?" Duterte said.

The P51 million monthly budget for the "institutionalized dole outs," she said, could be better used as funds for the creation of regular employment and free housing for the poor.

Duterte said President Arroyo merely wanted to earn "pogi points" in responding to the SWS survey that revealed unprecedented hunger levels among Filipinos.

"Arroyo herself is part of the problem. Her regime's policies aggravate the high unemployment rates, lack of decent and stable jobs, inadequate social services for the poor, lack of basic industries and landlessness. Under her corrupt and inept administration, people's money is largely being spent on grandstanding yet useless programs, debt payments and military spending," she said.

At the same time, Kadamay expressed their pessimism on the government's assurance that the cost of chicken
would return to the lower pre-Christmas prices after the holiday rush.

Duterte said the government made similar assurances last year yet prices of chicken and other commodities
stayed up well into the new year and government was unable to do a thing about it.