LAST week, in the first part of this two-part series, several ways to address the problems on “tambays” (loiterers) were already laid out. Those approaches are basically related to education and training as well as employment and livelihood, and the government agencies that are implementing programs and projects that can be the basis of those approaches suggested.
For this second part, other alternative ways on how the problem on tambays can be addressed. These are more drastic, radical or extreme and entails the utilization of more government resources in order to be implemented.
The Pantawid sa Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) or the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) may be expanded further. At present, the program provides support to families considered among the poorest of the poor and provides incentives related to the health care and education of the children and the whole family.
One of the revisions to this program is the provision of an unconditional cash transfer to those who are covered by the 4Ps amounting to P200 to cushion the effects of the Train Law. This is yet to be implemented pending concerns on the budget. It is unconditional because there will be no requirements that the family needs to fulfill before this grant is given them. Unlike the 4Ps, children should be in school and are brought to the health centers regularly, otherwise, their health and education grants would be revoked.
The first drastic approach is for the CCT program to be expanded further by covering families with their heads of the families or breadwinners who have been unemployed for six months or more already. They may not necessarily be among those on the poverty threshold, but considering that the household has no source of livelihood, then they are in danger of falling into the poverty trap.
The households may receive the same benefits as those who are “regularly” under the 4Ps program. In the event that anyone in the household acquired regular employment, they are taken off of the 4Ps program. This entails careful monitoring by personnel from the DSWD, but this definitely can be done.
Another drastic program that may be considered is providing unemployment benefits to those considered to be in the labor force who are presently without work, but willing and able to work and actively seeking for work. This will be for a period of six months to three years.
In the event that the individual is not employed within three years, the individual shall cease to be given this benefit. The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) may identify the beneficiaries of this program, and monitor whether this benefit will be revoked in the event that he/she is employed.
This program is being done in many countries, and is proven effective to address unemployment. This benefit will definitely support the unemployed person and his/her household while without work, and at the same time, they are given incentives to actively seek for employment, especially towards the end of the third year, when this benefit is about to expire.
There may be many other approaches to address the problem on tambays. The suggestions may not completely solve the problem but they can definitely decrease their number. The question is, should we put priority on these projects over the ongoing infrastructure program.
If they can find a way to address this problem while we continue with the Build, Build, Build program, then well and good. However, if they cannot, they should put more budget towards addressing the problem on tambays first. What is the use of these public infrastructures if people still live in poverty and remain tambays?
Several government agencies, programs and projects were mentioned throughout this piece. This was done on purpose just to emphasize that the government already has existing ways that can address this problem, and the government also has the capacity to implement programs for this purpose. The government needs to fully utilize all of our country’s resources in order to improve the welfare of their citizenry.
More importantly, there has to be good governance from the top to the bottom of the bureaucracy by effectively maximizing all the resources of government agencies, and putting more focus on the programs and projects mentioned in this two-part piece. Government officials just have to be more creative and innovative in coming up with better ways.
The results of these alternative ways may only be seen mostly in the long run, but these are ways that a civilized society should go about solving this kind of problem. Nevertheless, these suggested programs or projects would make the tambays more productive, and may be considered as a more proactive way to prevent the proliferation of illegal activities and commission of crimes.
The approach the government and the law enforcement is utilizing may prove counterproductive than beneficial both in the short run and the long run. We may end up with a citizenry that is psychologically, emotionally and mentally disturbed because of trauma from these violent approaches, not only during these current times, but also adversely affecting the next generations of Filipinos.