ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) spearheaded a Covergence Caravan in the municipality of Titay which benefitted over a thousand beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) on Friday (May 8).

The activity, dubbed as “Serbisyo Caravan, Serbisyong Totoo 2026” was held at Poblacion Muslim various government agencies and offices under the local government unit where brought together to address social welfare gaps of 4Ps members. These gaps were identified based on the Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI) assessment that is conducted by the DSWD-4Ps implementers among its beneficiaries, annually.

During the one-day activity, the Local Government Unit of Titay headed by Hon. Donrio Martinez sponsored hot meals (arroz caldo) to 4Ps beneficiaries who attended the event. Ang Probinsyano Partylist accepted 93 applications for educational scholarship; 176 attended the Kakanin Making and Food Processing as demonstrated by TESDA; 145 became a recipient of seed distribution by the Department of Agriculture (DA); the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) was able to cater 41 children for libreng tuli services, 119 for check-up and consultation, and 34 for x-ray services; DOLE catered 80 beneficiaries, DOH provided services to 86 clients; other offices such as the DICT, PhilHealth, and PSA were also present and provided their services to the 4Ps families.

Meanwhile, the 102^nd Infantry Brigade Philippine Army conducted free haircut and ear-piercing services to the beneficiaries.

Regional Program Coordinator of 4Ps, Flordeliza A. Atuy, emphasized that convergence activities significantly influence the level of well-being of 4Ps beneficiaries especially in addressing familial and community problems such as on livelihood and health.

“We are very grateful for the collaboration of our partners because time and again, these kinds of activity help facilitate the fast growth and development of 4Ps families towards self-sufficiency which enables them to eventually escape poverty,” Atuy said.

According to Atuy, the Department exerts great effort to steer its beneficiaries to self-sufficiency in which families are observed to possess characteristics of self-reliance and independence.

As of to date, 2,193 4Ps families were already found to be self-sufficient in Titay. These families already exited the program. While 17,645 families have reached the same level in the entire Province of Zamboanga Sibugay and 110,056 families in the entire Zamboanga Peninsula.