Govt think tank finds data gaps in 4P beneficiary list By Cai U. Ordinario
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HOLIDAY CHEER Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Huang Xilian gives Christmas gifts to the children of a Paco orphanage at a Christmas party organized by the embassy coinciding with the 13th Manila Forum for Philippines-China Relations in Makati City on Wednesday (December 11, 2024). NONIE REYES
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he Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) found data inconsistencies in the beneficiary list used for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). In a discussion paper published on Thursday, a team led by PIDS Senior Research Fellow Jose Ramon G. Albert and President Aniceto C. Orbeta Jr. said these data inconsistencies have the potential to affect program implementation. The researchers of the govern-
ment’s think tank also said these data inconsistencies prevent the program from being able to track and respond to changing household circumstances over time. “ This gap points to fundamental challenges in the program’s ability to track and respond to changing household circumstances over time. Data discrepancies need not be actual errors but may ref lect dynamic situations of households,” the researchers said. Based on the findings, there was a 90 to 94 percent consistency rate when it comes to static demographic information such as
birthdate and gender. However, consistency rates dropped when it comes to dynamic data, such as educational attainment at 76.4 percent and employment status at 71.2 percent. T he resea rc hers sa id t h i s showed “notably lower consistency, highlighting significant challenges in maintaining current information in a rapidly changing social environment.” The researchers also noted t here are urban-r ura l d iv ide induced data inconsistencies, particularly for infrastructurerelated data. The study revealed consistency rates ranged from
81.2 percent for water sources in Balance Luzon to 55.9 percent in Mindanao. “This urban-rural divide appears consistently throughout our findings, suggesting structural challenges in urban targeting and information management that require specific policy responses,” the researchers said. The research findings also revealed “other challenges,” such as targeting accuracy due to changes in income, household structures, and “ intra-city welfare variations.” See “Govt,” A2
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Friday, December 13, 2024 Vol. 20 No. 65
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UNPROGRAMMED FUNDS BLOAT NATIONAL BUDGET n
By Reine Juvierre Alberto
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@reine_alberto
he government has inserted more unprogrammed funds into the national budget for this year, pushing it to a record-high of P6.149 trillion. Latest data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) showed P121.875 billion in unprogrammed funds were added to the national budget in November. Figures from the DBM indicated that P91.037 billion was added as assistance for government infrastructure and social programs. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) obtained P86.037 billion and P5 billion, respectively. About P2.973 billion was also allotted as support for foreignassisted projects, particularly to
DPWH and the Departments of Transportation (DOTr) and Agriculture (DA). The DOTr and DA also received more funding for the government’s counterpart of foreignassisted projects worth P1.387 billion. For the maintenance, repair and rehabilitation of infrastructure facilities, P7.5 billion was given to DPWH. DBM data showed that the Department of Health (DOH) received an allocation of P2.816 billion to fund priority social programs for health. See “Unprogrammed,” A2
GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE FINANCE SEEN REBOUNDING NEXT YEAR
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hile global sustainable finance issuance remained low in the third quarter of 2024, Dutch multinational bank ING expects a rebound next year on the back of environmental, social and governance (ESG) offerings. In ING’s latest Sustainable Finance Pulse, global sustainable issuance reached $385 billion in July to September, lower than the quarterly average of a little over $400 billion. Year-to-date, global sustainable finance issuance amounted to $1.259 trillion, up from last year’s $1.131 trillion, and in line with the $1.265 trillion in 2022 and $1.389 trillion in 2021. ING said it anticipates this pace to continue into the fourth quarter, with market activity concentrated in the first half of 2024.
The main drivers for lower global sustainable supply were the sustainability-linked bonds, which totaled $6.5 billion in the third quarter, down from the $22-billion quarterly average. Meanwhile, sustainabilitylinked loans totaled $50 billion in the third quarter, much lower than the $95 billion quarterly average. Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort told the BusinessMirror that the slowdown could be attributed to the peak in interest rates and bond yields globa l ly and in the United States earlier this year. “Especially before the first US Federal Reserve rate cut in about four years on September 18, 2024, by 50 basis points, so borrowing costs were relatively higher before,” Ricafort said. See “Global,” A2
ROBO READY Robotics teams fine-tune their machines during the opening of the 2024-2025 VEX Robotics National Championship on Thursday, December 12, 2024, at Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) INNOTECH, Quezon City. This event, a collaborative effort by VEX Robotics, the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (REC Foundation), Hytec Power Incorporated, and HPI Cybertech Institute, provides a platform for young innovators to merge education and technology. Winners will have the opportunity to represent the Philippines on the international stage, showcasing their talent and ingenuity to a global audience. NONOY LACZA
DBCC report: PHL keen on tapping more offshore loans
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he national government is exploring various formats for its offshore funding needs to diversify its investor base as it becomes less reliant on official development assistance (ODA), according to the Cabinetlevel Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC). In its Fiscal Risks Statement for 2025 report, the Philippines will reduce its dependence on ODA loans upon graduating to upper middle-income status. ODA loans are low-interest loans given by a donor government to a developing country to support self-sustainable economic development. “The national government aims
to maintain its strong track record of reliable access to foreign currency-denominated market financing,” the report read. As such, the government is exploring Eurobonds or ROPs, environmental, social and governance-linked notes and sukuk to raise funds from the external debt market for cost-efficient pricing. “Notably, offshore market financing has become a more viable option in recent history with the aggressive tightening of sovereign spreads and the persistently elevated benchmark rates on concessional loans,” the report read.
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Brief Job Description: Assist in the execution of daily operations, ensuring smooth workflow and process adherence.
Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in a foreign language. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999
See “dole ncr” on A6-A8
See “DBCC,” A2
PESO exchange rates n US 58.2220 n japan 0.3819 n UK 74.2505 n HK 7.4887 n CHINA 8.0179 n singapore 43.3135 n australia 37.0758 n EU 61.1156 n KOREA 0.0408 n SAUDI arabia 15.4936 Source: BSP (December 12, 2024)