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Several members of the country’s conditional cash transfer program have line up today at various LandBank ATM branches and authorized servicing outlets for the withdrawal of their cash grants under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The Department has coordinated with the Local Government Unit down to the barangay level to facilitate an organized withdrawal of cash grants adhering to the rules and policies on the prevention of COVID-19 transmission.

“It is deemed imperative for us as a social welfare agency to make withdrawal of cash grants available for the beneficiaries especially now that we are facing a crisis. This is a safety net measure for our beneficiaries following the mandated enhanced community quarantine,” DSWD-9 OIC-Regional Director Fatima S. Caminan said.

Prior to this, the DSWD has announced that Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) will credit the cash grants of the beneficiaries into to their individual EMV-activated cash cards starting March 24. However, this will only be for the beneficiaries under the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer (MCCT). The Department, together with the LBP, targets to credit the cash grants of the Regular Conditional Cash Transfer (RCCT) members by April.

MCCT beneficiaries fall in line following physical distancing as they claim their cash grants at LBP Main Branch

 PREVENTIVE MEASURES VS MASS GATHERINGS

Ensuring the safety of the beneficiaries, field staff of the DSWD were deployed in various LBP branches, ATM stations, and Point of System (POS) to secure the observance of policies in the prevention of COVID-19 such as maintaining physical distance, wearing face mask and other protective gears, use of alcohol and sanitizers, proper hand-washing with soap, and changing of clothes upon arriving home.

DSWD Field Staff conduct monitoring to ensure safe and organized transactions at ATM stations

In the municipality of Titay in Zamboanga Sibugay, as agreed during the meeting with the Municipal Administrator, Chief of Police, and LBP staff, all beneficiaries will be ferried to and from their residences using police mobile as all public transport are suspended.

Health workers and barangay officials are also on the lookout to avoid mass gatherings and crowd control. Attendance and participation of senior citizens, pregnant women, children, those with fever, cough, and/or colds are discouraged in the withdrawal of cash grants.

LGU, Chief of Police, Municipal Treasurer, Health Workers, plan a scheme for smooth conduct of cash grant withdrawal in Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay amidst COVID-19
Parent Leaders in Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay were oriented to help facilitate an organized cash card withdrawal

Beneficiaries of the MCCT have received educational and health grants for Period 6 (December 2019 and January 2020). In addition, they also received rice subsidy for 2 months.

CASH CARD WITHDRAWALS IN VARIOUS AREAS