10,253 families availed of Pantawid ng Pamilyang Pilipino Program
SAN JOSE, Antique – A total of 10,253 families availed of Pantawid ng Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) from the five municipalities in the province said Lazaro Petinglay, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer.
According to DSWD, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is a poverty reduction strategy that provides grants to extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition and education particularly of children aged 0-14.
For the first quarter of 2009, Petinglay said that P25,625,000 were given to family beneficiaries released in the form of cash by the Land Bank of the Philippines. Subsequent quarterly releases will be drawn by the beneficiaries from the nearest LBP ATM machines..
The town of San Remigio has the biggest allocation of P7,584,800 to benefit 2,985 families; Bugasong with P5,489,100.00 for 2,180 families; Laua-an with P4,244,000.00 for 1,947 families; Valderrama with P4,107,400.00 for 1,666 families and Barbaza with P3,600,500.00 for 1,475 families.
The beneficiaries of the program were the poorest households in the country selected through a uniform, objective and transparent set of criteria set by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
In 2008, 337,416 households were enrolled in the 4Ps nationwide and an additional 320,000 households are targeted in 2009.
Petinglay further said the 4Ps is a five-year program that will provide conditional cash grants to the beneficiaries to support the health and nutrition expenses, educational needs of children and family subsidy as long as the beneficiaries comply with the conditions of the program.
To avail of the cash grants, the beneficiaries should comply with the following conditions: Pregnant women must get pre- and post natal care and be attended by a skilled/trained professional during childbirth, parents or guardians must attend responsible parenthood sessions, mother’s classes and parent effectiveness service, children 0 to 5 years must receive regular preventive health check ups and vaccines. Children 3-5 years old must attend day care or pre-school classes and children 6-14 years old must be in school and avail of deworming pills every five months.
The DSWD in coordination with the local government units are monitoring the program. Non-compliance on part of the beneficiaries to the conditions will result in the suspension of the cash grants or dropping from the program said Petinglay.
Petinglay encouraged beneficiaries to diligently follow the conditions of the program not only to avail of the cash grants but also to enhance the psychosocial development of the family through the investment made in the education of their children, health and nutrition, among others that will eventually empower them towards self reliance. (PS Mabaquiao/PIA)