ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA – In 2024, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) granted cash assistance to 4Ps beneficiaries to support their livelihood projects and help facilitate the exit of these beneficiaries from the 4Ps program. This augmentation support was done under the ESSI or the Enhanced Support Services Intervention of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

A total of 3,498 households in the entire Zamboanga Peninsula benefitted from the ESSI. 4Ps families received livelihood support either through cash, goods, equipment, or starter kits worth a maximum of Php 15,000.00

Initially identified as a support to the members of 4Ps who belong to IP communities or beneficiaries under the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer (MCCT) program, the ESSI expanded to support the regular members of the program.

Recently, the MCCT focal, Germiah Bongabong visited some of these projects to conduct spot-check monitoring.

“The purpose of this spot-check is to ensure that the livelihood grants provided to the beneficiaries last year has sustained,” Bongabong said.

Last May 26-31, the regional staff of the 4Ps in Region 9 visited a few municipalities and city in Zamboanga del Sur for the purpose of conducting a spot-check activity on the chosen livelihood of the beneficiaries, to wit: Pagadian, Vincenzo Sagun, San Miguel, and Kumalarang.

To highlight, all of the projects visited are sustained, and some others diversified. The main recommendation of the focal person is for the projects to have an accounting system, albeit basic, to ensure profit is seen and not just felt by the household. Another recommendation is to plan specific steps for project growth. The Department encourages the family-beneficiaries to look for ways to enrich their businesses, specifically by identifying steps to undertake to realize their goals.

The DSWD emphasizes that the interventions provided by the Department are based on the needs of the beneficiaries as per assessment of their case managers. These livelihood interventions are ought to be sustained by the beneficiaries.

Joyce Zamora, a Lumad beneficiary of the program from Pagadian City, expressed her commitment to ensure that her business will flourish. Joyce received Php15,000 worth of rice or 11 sacks of rice for her rice retail business last November 13, 2024.

“Salamat pud ko. Promise nako na molambo ni akoang negosyo para naa mi makuhaan. (I’m grateful. I promise that this business venture will prosper for our future needs,” Joyce Zamora expressed.

The DSWD will continue to monitor all other businesses supported by the Department through the Cash Assistance Grants provided under the ESSI.