According to the Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI) household assessment conducted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) among Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries in the municipality of San Pablo in Zamboanga Del Sur, there is a total of 547 families that have been found to have improved their level of well-being since their registration to the program.

The SWDI is an assessment tool used by the DSWD to measure the well-being of its beneficiaries in the 4Ps. As per Republic Act 11310 or the 4Ps Law, households that have reached level 3 or Self-Sufficient level shall be recommended for exit from the program. Hence the 547 families, along with 48 other families in San Pablo, had their graduation ceremony last March 24 which marked their exit.

The Regional Program Coordinator of 4Ps in Region IX, Flordeliza A. Atuy, personally attended the event to witness the ceremony and impart some words to live by for the exiting beneficiaries. In her speech, Atuy emphasized the importance of application of learning since the beneficiaries have been attending monthly Family Development Sessions (FDS) since their inclusion to the 4Ps.

“Daghang mga pagtulun-an nga gihatag sa inyoha. Dapat sa tanang panaghisgot, ang pinakaimportante is tanang mga natun-an sa FDS, gina-apply nato sa adlaw-adlaw na kinabuhi,” Atuy said.

[The program taught you so many learning. In all discussions, the most important is that all learning must be applied in our daily lives.]

It also became the avenue where the case folders of the beneficiaries were turned over to the Local Government Unit (LGU) of San Pablo for after-care social interventions, if any. The Local Chief Executive, Hon. Divine Neleh A. Taucan-Anghad, accepted the case folders and handed them over to the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) for review.

“Dili man mahatag sa LGU of San Pablo ang pinansyal nga ayuda sama sa Pantawid, apan ako, uban ang ak’ong mga kauban, isip mga tinogyanan sa katilingban, maningkamot nga makaabag kaninyo pinaagi sa pagsiguro nga adunay livelihood program, lig-ong programa sa edukasyon og agrikultura, ug accessible nga programa sa panglawas,” the Municipal Mayor said in her speech.

[The LGU of San Pablo may not be able to provide financial assistance as the Pantawid did, but I, together with my colleagues, as servants of the community, will strive to support you by ensuring there are livelihood programs, strong programs in education and agriculture, and accessible health services.]

With this, the Mayor shared that 300 families among the 595 exiting households were already referred for livelihood skills training that will be conducted soon after. All of the graduate families were also provided with sacks of rice as Pabaon Package for their graduation.

The Department will continue to monitor their progress thru the MSWDO. This graduation ceremony will form part of the over 200,000 families that will exit the program this year across the region.