The Department of Social Welfare and Development recently recognized children beneficiaries across the country as national advocates of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or more popularly known as 4Ps.

During the Araw ng Kabataan held in Pasig City last November 23, 17 exemplary children were awarded as program advocates that will promote the gains and successes of the country’s conditional cash transfer program.

No less than the DSWD Assistant Secretary, Glenda Relova, together with the National Program Manager, Director Gemma B. Gabuya, presented the recognition to the children.

“We are so happy to see that the program continuous to nurture young and great minds in the hope that their families will soon escape the cycle of poverty. These Pantawid Pamilya children clearly have a bright future ahead,” DSWD ASec. Glenda Relova said.

Also present during the ceremony was Pasig City Mayor, Hon. Vico Sotto who gave salutation to the Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries in Pasig and vowed to support the program advocacies for its beneficiaries.

The Araw ng Kabataan served as the culminating activity of the National Children’s Month celebration. In line with this, the Department celebrated a week-long children’s congress from November 18-24, 2019 in San Juan City, Manila.

Approximately 94 children-beneficiaries of 4Ps from different provinces and cities in the country participated in the said congress including regional representatives from Zamboanga Peninsula.

This year’s theme was “Bata Para Sa Bata” emphasizing the role of children in defining a safe space for children in the community.

Pantawid Pamilya is a social protection program of the national government that invests in the health and education of poor households primarily of children aged 0-18 and pregnant women. Program beneficiaries receive cash grants as they comply with the program conditions applicable to their households. The conditions are: pregnant women must avail pre and post-natal care and be attended during childbirth by a trained health professional; parents must attend Family Development Sessions (FDS); 0-5 years old children must receive regular preventive health check-ups and vaccines; 6-14 years old children must receive deworming pills twice a year; and children beneficiaries (0-18 years old) must enroll in school and maintain a class attendance of at least 85% per month.

In line with National Family Week Celebration, the Department of Social Welfare and Development gathered the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program in a 1-day activity which aimed to celebrate the values and successes of Filipino families.

The Family Day 2019 was held last October 06, 2019 at the Scout Limbaga, Pasonanca, Zamboanga City in partnership with the Local Government Unit and other program stakeholders.

Anchored on the theme “Kalusugan Pangkaisipan ng Pamilya Pilipino”, approximately 100 family beneficiaries from various barangays in Zamboanga City such as Canelar, Camino Nuevo, Pasonanca, and Sta. Maria joined in the festive merriment as a symbol of unity and promote camaraderie among DSWD staff and beneficiaries alike.

OIC-Regional Director of the DSWD IX, Fatima S. Caminan, personally delivered her message to the beneficiaries emphasizing their crucial role in nation building.

“Family is the smallest yet the strongest unit in the society. And we, in the DSWD, are very proud that most of our family beneficiaries show resiliency amidst hardships which means a lot because it tells us that they are willing to help the Department bring positive change in their lives,” Caminan said.

The event also served as an avenue for other partner-stakeholders of 4Ps to provide social services for the poor household beneficiaries such as medical and dental services from the Department of Health, livelihood training from TESDA, massage services from the Area Vocational and Rehabilitation Center III and other recreational activities from Mary Kay and Jollibee Foods Corporations.

The National Program Management Office of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program also held the same activity on September 29, 2019 which was participated by all of the regional Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya from across 17 regions in the country.

HAPPENINGS DURING THE FAMILY DAY

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), together with the City Government of Zamboanga honored the heroes of the devastating Zamboanga siege on its 6th-year commemoration on September 9, 2019 at City Grounds, Zamboanga City.

The commemoration activity entitled A Special Day of Remembrance was conducted to pay tribute to the fallen heroes who fought for security, for their comrades, for the civilians who were used as human shields, and for the city; for the civilians who lost their lives protecting their families, friends, homes, neighbors, and the innocent children against violence and greed of the misguided few.

DSWD’s Undersecretary of Department of Social Welfare and Development, Danilo G. Pamonag graced the event as the keynote speaker where he also led the wreath-laying ceremony together with the Zamboanga City Mayor, Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar at the memorial marker on Rizal Street. It was also attended by DSWD Field Office 9 Regional Director Nestor B. Ramos, and other local and national agency representatives.

Prior to his role in the DSWD, Usec. Pamonag served in the military as Commander of the AFP Joint Special Operations Group (JSOG), the country’s top-tier counter-terrorist unit, when the 2013 Zamboanga Siege broke out.

“Do you know the difference between Zamboanga and Marawi? Why were we able to defeat the enemy in 21 days compared to Marawi Siege? In Zamboanga, you have your government led by your Mayor Beng Climaco that looked after the displaced families. So our [military] attention was focused only on attacking and apprehending the rebels. And it helped a lot,” Usec. Pamonag said during his speech yesterday.

It can be recalled that the invasion of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in 2013 has affected 14 barangays in the city and displaced more than 18,110 families with 78,747 individuals who temporarily took refuge in the 66 evacuation centers. A total of 510,119,723.08 worth of assistance were provided by the DSWD during emergency, early recovery and rehabilitation phase of the disaster operations.

The DSWD also provided augmentation support amounting to Php. 58,663,500.00 (an amount transferred by the NHA) to continuously implement programs for the Internally Displaced Persons (IPDs) until the eventual transfer of all affected families to their permanent shelters/homes.

As per status report submitted by the City Social Welfare and Development Office as of May 08, 2018, out of the total target of 5,587 IDP families, only 4,415 or 79% initially availed of the financial assistance with a total grant utilized amounting to Php. 43,898,000.00. The remaining unutilized funds are in the possession of the department where schedule of payout depends on the submission of master list from Housing and Land Management Division (HLMD). DSWD is tasked to provide and validate the list of IDPs in permanent shelters with an assistance amounting of Php. 10,000.00 per family.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is currently preparing for the second nationwide social welfare assessment among beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, better known as 4Ps.

This is to determine the level of well-being of the beneficiaries after a decade of interventions thru the program implementation. The Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI) administration will determine whether a family beneficiary is still in the survival, subsistence, or self-sufficient state.

Survival is defined as the condition where there is lack of inner and external resources which make households unable to resolve problems and survive in a daily basis. Subsistence is a condition that opens some resources and alternatives to the beneficiaries to surpass basic daily needs, while Self-sufficiency means the households already have other sources of income and can already stand without interventions from the government. 

“Kailangan nating malaman kung ano na ang kalagayan ng ating mga beneficiaries at kung anong tamang intervention ang pwede pang ibigay sa kanila para maging self-sufficient. (We need to know the state of well-being of our beneficiaries and determine appropriate interventions for them to reach self-sufficiency),” Regional Program Coordinator, Ms. Flordeliza A. Atuy said during the orientation with program staff in Region 9. 

Other than determining the level of well-being of the beneficiaries, the SWDI is also a tool that will help the Department identify the needs and capabilities of the partner-beneficiaries to be able to provide interventions for the improvement of their lives not just from the DSWD but from the other social service providers as well.

The Regional Program Management Office (RPMO) of the Pantawid Pamilya currently conducts orientation and information dissemination for awareness about the upcoming household assessment.

The first SWDI administration, which was conducted in 2015, revealed that among the (then) 279,212 household beneficiaries, 229,375 or 82% of the total 4Ps household population in region 9 have improved condition of life since their enrollment to the program.

Pantawid Pamilya targets to administer the SWDI tool to 312,000 active beneficiaries both from the Regular Conditional Cash Transfer Program (RCCT) and the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer Program (MCCT) in region 9.

The total budget for the administration in the entire Zamboanga Peninsula is 19 million which covers expenses on orientation, hiring of enumerators, encoders, and other operational expenses. The DSWD field office IX has requested for an additional of 5 million pesos for augmentation.

The SWDI administration is targeted to be conducted for 3 months starting end of September to December this year.

Pantawid Pamilya is a social protection program of the national government that invests in the health and education of poor households primarily of children aged 0-18 and pregnant women. Program beneficiaries receive cash grants as they comply with the program conditions applicable to their households. The conditions are: pregnant women must avail pre and post-natal care and be attended during childbirth by a trained health professional; parents must attend Family Development Sessions (FDS); 0-5 years old children must receive regular preventive health check-ups and vaccines; 6-14 years old children must receive deworming pills twice a year; and children beneficiaries (0-18 years old) must enroll in school and maintain a class attendance of at least 85% per month. As of May 2018, there are 4.39 million active households in the program nationwide.

It is often said that the fruit does not fall far from the tree. Bines family may be a living epitome of this saying. Spreading the seed of goodness to the community stems from the foundation that the family nurtures.

Both parents, Rolando Bines and Analyn Labang, believe that whatever they do today will be reflected by their children in the future hence they make sure that they become models of good values to their children.

They believe that the best fruit of success that they will reap in the future is when they will see their children being of service to people other than themselves. That is why as early as now, they show their children what kindness truly means and how this is important to realize their purpose in life.

BACKSTORY

In a small, remote town in the southern part of Mindanao is a 4^th-class municipality where the locals seem to share hospitality and generosity towards each other. The people of Barangay Tandubuay in the Municipality of San Pablo, Zamboanga del Sur, could attest to the kindness and the brand of legacy of the Bines family.

Rolando, 47, is described as a “Jack of all Trade” as his does almost, if not all, tasks that require specific skills in the household. He does plumbing, carpentry, masonry, welding, and a few more others.

Despite him being color blind, he sees to it that his family’s life is always full of colors.

His wife, Analyn, 42, on the other hand, is expert in handling household concerns such as taking care of their children, managing their finances, and ensuring the family’s health, among others.

Blessed with three children, the couple strives to provide the needs of their children be it in health and/or in education. Ron Kennoly, 16, is now in Grade 11; Christine Jan, 14, is in Grade 9 and both are studying at San Pablo National High School; while the youngest of the siblings, Beethoven, 12, is currently in Grade 12 at Tandubuay National High School.

Despite having experienced hardships that are brought about by poverty, Bines family never lost their faith both in God and in the hope that one day, they will live a comfortable life that they can share not just within their family but with other families in the community as well.

In 2009, a blessing knocked onto their door as they were included in the (then newly-established) conditional cash transfer program of the national government known as the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program.

They consider it as a big blessing in their family as it helped them discover several other things that they can do with their potential.

KASAKIT (GRIEF) GROUP

Despite having so little in life, Bines family never forgets to help their community in ways they can.

In 2015, Rolando Bines created a support group within their Purok called the Kasakit, a local term which means grief. The Kasakit aims to assuage the burden of the poor, grieving families who have lost a loved one. This support group offers assistance to the bereaved family by providing free labor for the coffin of the deceased.

As a carpenter, Rolando offers his skills and service to make coffins for those who cannot afford to buy one.

“Di na ko mangubra sa ilaha. Gamay nga ikatabang na lang to kay di man ko makahatag og kwarta, (I won’t charge [for my service]. It’s a small help since I could not afford to give them money,” Rolando said in a phone interview.

When asked about the reason why Rolando started this initiative, Analyn said that his husband has always been passionate about helping other people and that he wants to show to his children that they can be of help even if they have less.  

The public saw the positive effect of the help that the Kasakit Group has initiated not just for the bereaved family but for the entire community. The families that they have helped were relieved of additional weight while the community has found hope and faith in humanity.

The practice of the KASAKIT Group has now been replicated by other Puroks in the barangay and it is now adopted by the Barangay Local Government Unit of Tandubuay as one of their best practices.

VIOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Because of their selfless contributions and harmonious relationship with their neighbors, the people of Tandubuay have entrusted the Bines Family with important roles and duties to play in the barangay.

Rolando has become part of the BADAC or the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Committee that enables a drug-free community by helping those who have been victims of the influence of illegal drugs.

In their Purok, Rolando is assigned to talk to the victims for possible surrender and rehabilitation. As of today, Rolando was able to convince 58 surrenderees and their lives have changed since then.

Determined to turn their situation around, Rolando is also hands-on in helping the surrenderees in their community services and activities.

Other than that, he also had contributed in the establishment of several developmental facilities in their barangay such as the Day Care Center, bridge, community chapel, and the ongoing project, a 3-unit classroom for children.

These are on top of his other community services as PTCA President in school, as commentator in church and leader of the Ginagmay Simbahanong Katilingban (GSK) together with his wife, Analyn.

Analyn, on the other hand, was appointed as Barangay Health Worker (BHW) last February 2018.

The Barangay Chairman of Tandubuay, Hon. Lonita M. Largo, said that she saw how responsible Analyn is in handling given tasks. In fact, surprisingly, she has surpassed the number of members and clients served compared to the previous BHWs.

“Maaasahan mo talaga siya sa mga gawain. May hawak siya ngayong 30 households. Yun yung tinutulungan niya in terms sa health ng constituents namin, [She is really trustworthy. She currently handles 30 households which she helps in their health concerns,]” said Hon. Largo.

Analyn monitors the weight and health of the children in their barangay including health of pregnant women. She is also in charge of ensuring the health maintenance of the Senior Citizens.

These deeds of the couple are truly remarkable and exemplary thus making them the powerhouse couple of Barangay Tandubuay.

KUNG ANO ANG PUNO AY SIYA RING BUNGA (A TREE WILL BEAR A FRUIT OF ITS KIND)

The passion and compassion of the parents is now being shared by the entire family. As young as they are, the children also start to show manifestations of being kind-hearted to their neighbors.

Ron Kennoly, the eldest, is part of a group called the People’s Youth Association (PYA), a group of young individuals who share common desire to give back to the community by doing activities that would keep teenagers from trouble.

As the leader of the PYA, Ron Kennoly conducts meetings amongst the members after their Sunday church service. He facilitates bible-sharing and helps in planning activities for youth like him.

Christine Jan, the female child, is currently attending seminar as altar server. This way, their chapel will no longer need for altar servers from outside their barangay.

Her involvement in the church inspires many girls her age to become active as well in the community to avoid the rampant concern on teenage pregnancy.

Beethoven, the youngest of the three children, is a classroom President. He monitors his classmates on their tasks in school and helps them accomplish their tasks.

He says that he plans to be a lawyer someday so that he can help poor families fight for their rights.

The three Bines children are motivated by the examples that they see from their parents. The foundation that they have right now is based on the personal values that Rolando and Analyn have instilled in them.

WINNING MOMENT

Last July 31, Bines Family was awarded as the champion of the regional search for Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya in Zamboanga Peninsula. They will serve as ambassadors of the program gains brought about by the interventions of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

On September 29, they will be invited to Manila to receive a national recognition from the DSWD for being an exemplary family despite the struggles and poverty that they face. This is also one way of the department to highlight the stories of change of many Filipino whose lives have changed because of the collaborative efforts of the government programs.

With the distribution of EMV-enabled cash cards to Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) anticipates that there will no longer be OTC or Over-The-Counter payouts for Pantawid beneficiaries.

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The grants of the beneficiaries will automatically be downloaded in their cash cards which can be used for withdrawal or swipe in stores.

As of May 31, the DSWD has already distributed a total of 140,958 EMV-enabled cash cards out of the 307,833 beneficiaries in region 9. The remaining 166,875 beneficiaries are to be scheduled to claim their cash cards in the next weekends.

Pantawid Pamilya Regional Program Coordinator, Ms. Flordeliza Alar-Atuy, said that the conversion of the payout scheme from OTC to cash cards will hasten the payout system and make it more convenient for beneficiaries to claim their grants from the bank.

“They can now withdraw their grants in their convenient time. If they have ATM near their area, they need not go to payout venues and spend extra money for fare,” Atuy said.

The conversion of beneficiaries to cash card holders is expected to be completed by 3^rd quarter of this year.

With this payout scheme, the department also advises the beneficiaries to withdraw their grants in full amount as the cash cards do not serve in the same purpose as a savings account.

Pantawid Pamilya is a social protection program of the national government that invests in the health and education of poor households primarily of children aged 0-18 and pregnant women. Program beneficiaries receive cash grants as they comply with the program conditions applicable to their households. The conditions are: pregnant women must avail pre and post-natal care and be attended during childbirth by a trained health professional; parents must attend Family Development Sessions (FDS); 0-5 years old children must receive regular preventive health check-ups and vaccines; 6-14 years old children must receive deworming pills twice a year; and children beneficiaries (0-18 years old) must enroll in school and maintain a class attendance of at least 85% per month. As of May 2018, there are 4.39 million active households in the program nationwide.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the DSWD is scheduled to conduct the last leg of distribution of EMV-enabled cash cards to its beneficiaries on June 15 and 16.

This is following the order of the program management that by June 30 all beneficiaries will be converted into cash-card holders from the previous over-the-counter payment scheme.

The schedule is made and agreed between DSWD and Landbank so as not to hamper the regular activities and transactions of the bank during weekdays.

More than 6,000 EMV cards will be distributed on the said dates including those who have not claimed their cash cards yet on the previous distribution schedule.

A total of 5,290 cash cards will be released on June 15 (Saturday) at Sangali and Culianan Covered Court that would cater to barangays Bolong, Bunguiao, Dulian, Lamisahan, Sangali, Cabaluay, Cacao, Culianan, Guisao, Lanzones, Lapakan, Manicahan, Mercedes, Pasobolong, Salaan, Talabaan, Taluksangay, Tolosa, Victoria, and Zambowood. Landbank will only conduct distribution of cash cards on the mentioned date. Activation of such will follow on a later schedule.

Meanwhile, 1,304 cash cards will be distributed and activated on June 16 (Sunday) at Landbank Main Branch in Pettit Barracks. This will cater the island barangays such as Busay (Sacol Island), Landang Gua, Landang Laum, Manalipa, Pasilmanta (Sacol Island), Tumalutab, Tigtabon, and Pangapuyan.

Beneficiaries are advised to bring their own medical and health maintenance, container for their trash, and if possible, not bring their children so as to avoid influx of people at the venue.

The conversion of beneficiaries to cash card holders will hasten and make payout transactions easier and more convenient for the recipients in the withdrawal of their grants from the program.

Pantawid Pamilya is a social protection program of the national government that invests in the health and education of poor households primarily of children aged 0-18 and pregnant women. Program beneficiaries receive cash grants as they comply with the program conditions applicable to their households. The conditions are: pregnant women must avail pre and post-natal care and be attended during childbirth by a trained health professional; parents must attend Family Development Sessions (FDS); 0-5 years old children must receive regular preventive health check-ups and vaccines; 6-14 years old children must receive deworming pills twice a year; and children beneficiaries (0-18 years old) must enroll in school and maintain a class attendance of at least 85% per month. As of May 2018, there are 4.39 million active households in the program nationwide.

Remember how as a kid in kindergarten, your mom or dad would bring you to class and wait outside the classroom until your class is done? Norberto Kuan feels exactly just like that all over again. But this time, his mom will no longer wait outside but rather sit with him inside his (or should we say ‘their’) classroom.

Melanie Kuan, 32, is the widowed mother of Norberto and will soon be his classmate in school. Both of them will enroll in the Alternative Learning System (ALS), a parallel learning system of the government that provides a practical option to the existing formal instruction.

Both Melanie and Norberto finished Grade 6 and hopefully make it to the ALS program. The other children of Melanie, Nurmilya (14 y/o) and Noemi (12 y/o) are in regular schooling at Katipunan National High School in Zamboanga del Norte in Grade 9 and Grade 7, respectively.

When asked about her decision to be back in school, Melanie said that she always had this dream of finishing a course and soon find a better job to provide the needs of her children.

Currently, Melanie’s source of income is by making roof materials made from nipa palm leaves and selling it for thatched houses. This is what keeps them surviving since her husband passed away in 2013.

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She manages her P100/day earning for their daily consumption and her children’s school needs. Melanie knows that her income is not enough and this

is felt by her children. Because of this, Melanie’s eldest child, Norberto, 16 years old, decided to find a job to help his family. The help he does however cost him his attendance to school.

Norberto started to commit absences in school and soon stopped schooling to focus on his job. He could not balance his time and energy from doing school works and driving tricycle to earn a living.

Meanwhile, as a member of the country’s conditional cash transfer program known as the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program, Melanie attends to its monthly meeting called the Family Development Session (FDS) where she learns about how to manage a family, financial literacy, and other government services among others. Her attendance to the FDS introduced her to the Alternative Learning System of the government.

Melanie saw this as an opportunity and decided to pursue her education, now, together with her son. She talked to Norberto about this education scheme and because Norberto also has a dream, it was not difficult for him to say yes.

According to Melanie, this is also advantageous for her because she will be able to oversee her son and his performance in school as how most parents would.

Nurmilya, Melanie’s second child, expressed her opinion about this decision, during a conversation with the Municipal Link.“Nalipay mi cay mu-eskwela na si Kuya balik ug si Mama. Aku sila tabangan para di sila maglisud mag-adjust. (We’re happy that my big brother and my mom decided to return to school. I will help them so that they will not find it difficult to adjust,)” Nurmilya said.

As a preparation, both Nurmilya and Noemi help their mother as she goes back to schooling by sharing what they have learned in the regular education system. Norberto, on the other hand, still drives tricycle during the day and reads his old notebooks at night to prepare his mind for the school days.

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Melanie thought that she can be her children’s inspiration to finish their studies as well.

Their school class will begin in June 03. Norberto, Nurmilya, and Noemi are monitored children beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the DSWD. Each of them receives 500 pesos as a support to the educational needs such as school supplies, projects, etc.

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