MIRIAM PROPOSES ADOPTION OF BRAZIL'S BOLSA FAMILIA PROGRAM

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, chair of the Senate Economic Affairs Committee, will file a bill providing conditional cash transfers (CCTs) to extremely poor families. 

Dubbed as the Lingap Sikap Act of 2009, the bill aims to offer grants to impoverished households under the condition of committing to send their children to school regularly and bring them to health care centers for vaccination and check-ups, among others. 

“Investing in our children will break the cycle of intergenerational transmission of poverty. As current poverty is addressed by the CCTs, future poverty will be reduced by ensuring the education and health of Filipino children,” Santiago said. 

Santiago’s bill is inspired by the CCT progam from Brazil called Bolsa Familia, the program from which Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also based its current pro-poor Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral, who was part of the Philippine delegation to Brazil, said the government was very keen in expanding the 4Ps program in the country after their visit to the Latin American country. 

“The passage of this bill will make the cash transfer program of the DSWD more permanent and long term,” said the senator. 

Santiago said that the program will also strengthen and facilitate improvements in the government’s social welfare institutions, programs, and services. 

The Bolsa Familia program in Brazil is considered the pioneer CCT program in Latin America. Its success triggered adoptions in several countries including Chile, Mexico, Indonesia, South Africa, Turkey, and Morocco. Aside from reducing poverty, it created a positive impact on the adult labor supply, reduced the malnutrition rate, and created an increase in total spending, food consumption, and education spending.

MIRIAM SEEKS END TO ABUSIVE CREDIT CARD PRACTICES

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago filed two bills that she said would address consumers’ complaints against abusive practices by credit card companies.

Her Senate Bill No. 3315 seeks to prohibit retail stores from imposing surcharges, extra charges, or additional charges over and above the price tag on the consumer goods and services. 

“Its main purpose is to make retail stores use only one price tag for every product they sell. It also makes the stated price on the tag the same for all customers, whether they are paying cash, credit card, or debit-ATM card,” Santiago said.

Santiago’s bill is derived from the Department Administrative Order No. 10 issued by the Department of Trade and Industry, and the senator said that her bill seeks to give the department order a more permanent status rather than its present form.

“This would ensure stability in its enforcement. The bill also increases the penalties provided in the order, and it includes other methods scheming retailers use to circumvent DAO No. 10,” Santiago said.

Santiago, who filed almost one-fifths of all Senate bills in the Fourteenth Congress, also called for the passage of S.B. No. 3292 which prohibits the delivery of any credit card application, pre-approved written solicitation, or credit card to people under twenty-five years old.

According to Santiago, the availability of credit cards coupled with a young person’s lack of financial experience can easily lead to an accumulation of an overwhelming amount of debt. 

“In times of financial crisis, it is despicable for credit card companies to take advantage of the inexperienced youth unprepared for financial responsibility. This abusive practice must be put to an end,” Santiago said.

MIRIAM HITS HOSPITALS FOR NON-DISCLOSURE OF PRICES

Recognizing the right to choose one’s health care provider, Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago filed Senate Bill No. 3324 compelling hospitals to reveal the prices of their services. 

Santiago’s bill, also known as the “Hospital Price Disclosure Act,” requires both public and private hospitals to prominently post at each admission site the full disclosure of prices for medicine, and hospital and surgical procedures. 

“With several medical providers to choose from, patients need access to reliable and adequate information to make rational and economical choices,” Santiago said. 

According to Santiago, undisclosed rates of medical care hinder patients from choosing which hospital or health care provider offers good service for less cost. 

“It has been common practice for hospitals to not reveal the costs a patient may incur unless he or she bills out. Because of this, the patient is often shocked at the expense he or she incurs after staying in the hospital,” said the senator. 

The senator said that the treatment of ailments and health conditions such as heart disease would not be possible with home remedies, and would necessitate professional medical care. 

“The power to choose which hospital to go to should be with the patient especially in these times of global economic crisis,” Santiago said.