Gov’t to expand poverty alleviation scheme | ABS-CBN News.

Agence France-Presse
March 28, 2012

MANILA, Philippines – The government plans to expand a landmark poverty alleviation scheme that provides cash aid to the country’s poorest households to benefit nearly 5 million families, an official said Tuesday.

Three million households currently benefit from the Conditional Cash Transfer program, which provides monetary assistance to families under a number of conditions including that they keep their children in school.

“We plan to continue to expand the program until all 4.8 million families in the (poorest 20 percent of the population) are covered,” Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said.

The program is seen as a key priority for President Benigno Aquino who has proposed to set aside P34.4 billion ($800 million) for the project in the government’s 2012 budget.

Read full article @ www.abs-cbnnews.com