Magsasagawa ng isang ‘disinfecting activity’ ang tanggapan ng DSWD Region 9 mula July 16 hanggang July 17 upang masiguradong ligtas ang pagbibigay ng #SerbisyongMayMalasakit sa publiko.

Pansamantalang nakasara muna ang opisina sa loob ng dalawang araw at muling magbabalik ang operasyon nito sa Lunes (July 20).

Gayunpaman, maaari pa rin kayong mapagsilbihan sa pamamagitan ng aming hotline at online platform na nakasaad sa larawan.

Maraming salamat sa inyong pag-unawa.

Hinihikayat ng DSWD ang mga batang miyembro ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program o 4Ps na ilahad ang kanilang mga pananaw at mensahe sa kasalukuyang kinakaharap na suliranin dulot ng banta ng Covid-19.

Ito ay sa pamamagitan ng paggawa ng mga likhang sining na nagpapahayag ng kanilang damdamin o opinyon tungkol sa kanilang karanasan ngayong may pandemiya.

Ang aktibidad na ito ang tinatawag na Likha ng Bata, Para sa Bata.

Ayon sa Regional Program Coordinator ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program sa Region 9 na si Flordeliza A. Atuy, mahalaga na malawak ang kaalaman at partisipasyon ng mga kabataan sapagkat isa sila sa mga sector na bulnerable sa ganitong sitwasyon.

Aniya, layunin ng programa na maihayag ang mga adbokasiya ng mga batang 4Ps sa kaligtasan at kooperasyon ng mga bata sa paghilom mula sa krisis.

“Bukod sa partisipasyon ng mga batanga 4Ps, gusto rin natin na hikayatin ang iba pang mga bata, kahit hindi miyembro ng 4Ps, na manatiling ligtas at sumunod sa mga tagubilin upang maiwasan ang sakit kaya natin ini-involve ang mga kabataan,” ani Atuy.

Maaaring magsumite ng mga obra sa City o Municipal Link kalakip ang iba pang mga mahahalagang impormasyon tulad ng maikling paliwanag sa ginawang sining, impormasyon tungkol sa sarili (pangalan, edad, tirahan, baitang sa paaralan) at sagutin ang mga sumusunod na katanungan.

a. Sino nga ba ako? (Pangalan, mga katangian, hilig, talento, atbp.)

b. Ano ang aking pangarap? (Sarili, para sa pamilya, para sa komunidad)

c. Ano ang aking mensahe para sa kapwa kabataan?

Ang mga mapipiling malikhaing sining ay mapapasama sa ililimbag na publikasyon ng DSWD.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) highly salutes Jefferson Yamson Salazar, a 4Ps beneficiary’s son who recently marched as Cadet First Class in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Masidlawin Class of 2020.

Among the 196 graduates, Salazar ranked 3^rd along with Cadet First Class Gemalyn Sugui (Valedictorian) and Cadet First Class Jade Villanueva (Salutatorian) being in the Top 3.

Jefferson is the fourth child of tricycle driver Jose and snack vendor Marites Salazar who are members of DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

In an interview, Marites says that her son has always been a good student. Jefferson usually does not bring notebook in class because according to him, he ensures that he understands the lectures and everything he learns is kept in his mind.

Marites recalls that even when they were struggling financially, she has always seen the big potential in Jefferson and was confident that he can achieve his goals despite the hardships in life.

“Hindi hadlang ang kahirapan kaya huwag mawalan ng pag-asa at mag-aral ng mabuti para makamit nila ang pangarap nila at magtagumpay, (Poverty is not a hindrance so don’t lose hope and study hard to achieve your dreams and succeed,)” Marites shares her message to her co-4Ps family beneficiaries.

As a young boy, Jefferson was a consistent honor student of his class. Because of poverty, he has seen his eldest sibling sacrificed her education for a job to help sustain their family. And so he made sure to keep an eye on his goal.

In college, he took up Bachelor of Science in Physics at Western Mindanao State University then proceeded to pursue his studies in PMA and succeeded.

Despite not being able to attend the graduation rite last May 22 due to COVID-19 protocols, Jefferson’s family was very proud of his achievement.

Marites also expressed how thankful she is for the support that she has received from family, relatives, and the government.

“Naging malaking tulong yung natatanggap namin na cash assistance dahil nagkaroon ako ng karagdagang kapital sa pagtitinda. Ang programa ng gobyerno gaya ng 4Ps ay may layuning tumulong sa mga nangangailangan; nasa tao na kung papaano niya ito gamitin, (The cash assistance has been a great help especially as augmentation to our livelihood. Government programs such as the 4Ps aim to help families in need but it is up to the people to make something out of it,” says Marites.

Salazar family has been a beneficiary of the 4Ps since 2013. Jefferson’s older sister who was a monitored child of 4Ps will soon take her licensure board exam in December. To this date, only their youngest child who is in Grade 9 is monitored by the program. 

Now, Salazar family celebrates the achievement of each of their family members. 

The eldest daughter, after working for several years to help support the family, is now back in school taking up BS Chemistry in WMSU;

The second child, who was also a scholar of DSWD’s Sulong Dunong, already graduated from a 2-year degree;

The third child supported herself in college by joining a school-funded organization and earning on the side from being a School Assistant;

The 4^th child (Jefferson) will soon join the Philippine Navy;

The 5^th child will soon graduate with a degree in Political Science;

The 6^th child will take her licensure board exam as a Pharmacist in December; and

The youngest one is currently in Grade 9, GT STEM.

Sinimulan nang ipamahagi ang ayudang Emergency Subsidy mula sa Social Amelioration Program (SAP) para sa mga benepisyaryo ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program na walang cash card o ATM cards.

Sa buong Rehiyon IX, 7,723 ang mga benepisyaryo na walang ATM na target maabutan ng emergency subsidy. Aabot ang ayudang ito sa halagang PHP 28,188,950.

Bawat isang pamilya ay nakatanggap ng Php 3,650 na halaga ng ayuda. Ito ay dagdag sa kanilang regular na health grant (P750) at rice subsidy (P600) na ibibigay sa mga susunod na araw. Kung susumahin, Php 5,000 ayuda ang kanilang natanggap para sa isang buwan.

Sa datos ng 4Ps kahapon (Mayo 10), tinatayang 6,439 na pamilya na ang nabigyan ng ayuda. 1,281 sa mga ito ay mula sa Zamboanga City, 1,636 naman ang mula sa Zamboanga del Norte, 1,842 ang sa Zamboanga del Sur, at 1,680 naman ay mula sa Zamboanga Sibugay.

Isusunod naman ngayong araw ang pamamahagi ng ayuda sa bayan ng Isabela, Basilan at magpapatuloy din ang distribusyon para sa mga unclaimed o mga hindi pa nakakuha ng ayuda sa iba pang mga probinsya sa Zamboanga Peninsula.

Dahil walang ATM ang mga benepisyaryo, direktang bumababa ang mga kawani ng DSWD sa bawat barangay upang iabot ang nasabing ayuda.

“Una na nating nabigyan ng ayuda ang mga benepisyaryo na may hawak na ATM noong nakaraang buwan pa dahil mas madali nang ipasok sa kanilang mga ATM yun. Ngayon naman, tayo mismo ang gagawa ng payout pero syempre sisiguraduhin nating maayos ito,” ani ng Regional Program Coordinator ng 4Ps sa Region 9 na si Flordeliza Atuy.

Ayon sa programa, naging maayos ang pagsasagawa ng payout o distribusyon ng ayuda dahil sa pagsunod sa mga panuntunan upang makaiwas sa pagkalat ng virus.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the lead agency that implements the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) pursuant to Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, says that not all families will be given provision by the program.

The Memorandum Circular No. 9 or omnibus guidelines state that the emergency subsidy shall be given to low-income families, assessed to be most affected by the imposition of community quarantine, given their existing life situations or circumstances.

Target beneficiaries shall include 4Ps beneficiaries, families with low income including those who are not currently recipients of the 4Ps, informal economy workers, indigent families of Indigenous Peoples, and other vulnerable groups.

“As much as we want to help all families that are affected by the implementation of the ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine), we are bounded by guidelines that are our basis for doing what should be done,” DSWD-9 OIC-Regional Director Fatima S. Caminan said.

Not eligible to receive SAP grants are those families who have members that work in the government such as elected and appointed government officials, personnel contracted in any National Government Agency (NGA), Government –owned and Controlled Corporation (GOCC), and Local Government Units (LGU).

Employees in the private sector, formal economy workers, including those who work for GOCCs without original charters, regardless of the existence of employee-employer relationship, and regardless of the fact that they are receiving salary or wage are likewise excluded in the provision of SAP.

Retired individuals who are receiving pension and their immediate families are also not included in the program.

Region IX has 726,259 families to be covered by SAP. 323,074 of which are 4Ps family beneficiaries and 403,185 families are non-Pantawid beneficiaries who are qualified to receive the SAP cash subsidy based on the omnibus guidelines.

To date, DSWD Field Office 9 has already transferred a total amount of Php 1,951,158,000.00 to sixty six (67) LGUs in Region IX or about 98% of the total funding requirement.

Queries and complaints on inclusion and/or exclusion can be reported to the hotline service center of the DSWD through 0906-512-4841 (Globe) and 0961-721-0948 (Smart).

Following the implementation of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the regional office in Zamboanga Peninsula has activated an Agency Operation Center (AOC) to oversee and address all concerns with regards to carrying out the program.

The establishment of the AOC was activated to serve as a command facility to monitor and coordinate the implementation of the Department’s Social Amelioration Program or the provision of emergency subsidy to the most affected families and individuals in areas under community quarantine.

Consequently, the Department has also launched a hotline center which will capture and answer all inquiries, refer actions on complaints and grievances, and clarify matters to the public about the said program.

The hotline center is managed by the committee on Client Support as part of the Agency Operation Center.

The hotline numbers are open to all networks including Globe and Smart Telecom and are ready to receive calls daily from 9 AM to 5 PM.

As of its launching yesterday, the hotline center was able to respond to more than 100 clients from across the region.

The top three concerns received are mainly on (1) eligibility to the program; (2) under coverage or those who were not administered Social Amelioration Card (SAC); and (3) inquiries on schedule of SAP orientation and distribution of SAC in their barangays.

Beneficiaries of the country’s conditional cash transfer program, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, implemented by the DSWD may face delistment for claiming double emergency subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).

Based on the implementing rules and regulations of the program, the circumstance of claiming additional SAP grants constitutes fraud and unbecoming demeanor of a beneficiary which grounds him/her to be sanctioned and dealt with administratively.

“The Department sees to it that there will be no duplicity in the receiving of Social Amelioration grants especially with our program beneficiaries. We trust that our beneficiaries will also help us uphold transparency and integrity in implementing our programs and services,” DSWD-9 OIC Regional Director Fatima S. Caminan said.

It can be recalled that the beneficiaries of the 4Ps program have already received their emergency subsidy under the SAP since April 04, 2020.

The beneficiaries have received an emergency subsidy worth Php 3,650 on top of their regular grants worth Php 750 (health) and Php 600 (rice subsidy) which in total sums up to Php 5,000 grants.

As of this date, the Department has not yet received any reports of double claim by a 4Ps beneficiary.

Should there be a case on which a beneficiary was able to receive additional 5k SAP grant, the Department urges the public to report it immediately to the grievance hotline of the program at 0927-161-3818.

The public may also directly report a case to the city/municipal links assigned in their area for immediate validation.

Other forms of communication with the DSWD are also open such as through their official Facebook Page (DSWD Region IX) and regional website https://fo9.dswd.gov.ph/

Tindera sa isang 24/7 Convenience Store si Janet Denolan Gomez, 33, tubong Capase, Roxas, Zamboanga del Norte. Gabi-gabi siyang pumapasok sa trabaho mula alas 7 ng gabi hanggang alas 7 ng umaga. Di inaalintana ang pagod at puyat, mairaos lang ang pang araw-araw na gastusin ng kanyang maliit na pamilya.

May dalawang anak si Janet na pawang mga bata pa –ang panganay niyang anak na si RJ ay 12 años na at nasa Grade 7, samantalang ang pangalawa niyang anak na si Jeannie Rose ay 9 na taong gulang pa lang at nasa Grade 4 naman.

Hiwalay sa asawa si Janet at siya na lang ang tanging kumakayod para bumuhay sa kanyang mga anak.

Mula nang maipatupad ang Community Quarantine bilang paraan ng gobyerno upang maiwasan ang hawaan ng virus na COVID-19 sa bansa, nawalan na rin ng pang hanapbuhay si Janet dahil pansamantalang nagsara ang tindahang pinapasukan nito.

Dahil kabilang si Janet sa informal economy workers, apektado ito ng No Work, No Pay.

Masakit man sa kanyang loob, kinailangang gamitin ni Janet ang kakaunti nitong ipon upang maitawid ang kanilang pang araw-araw sa gitna ng quarantine.

Halos tatlong linggong nagtipid si Janet upang mapagkasya ang kanyang ang ipon sa araw-araw na gastusin. Walang kasiguraduhan kung may makakain pa sila kinabukasan.

Hanggang sa mabalitaan niya ang tulong para sa mga miyembro ng 4Ps kung saan kabilang si Janet. Ito ay ang Social Amelioration Program (SAP), isang programa na naglalayong matugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga bulnerableng sektor ng lipunan sa gitna ng implementasyon ng Enhanced Community Quarantine sa gitna ng banta ng COVID-19.

Ayon sa programang ito, makakakuha ng hindi hihigit sa Php 5,000.00 ayuda ang bawat miyembro ng 4Ps bilang emergency subsidy kasabay ng regular na natatanggap nito mula sa programa.

Nang makuha ni Janet ang SAP, agad siyang tumungo sa pamilihan upang bumili ng mga pagkain at iba pang gamit. Habang namimili, naalala niya ang kanyang 2 anak kaya naisipan niyang bumili ng itlog para sa mga ito.

Tuwang-tuwa ang mga bata sapagkat unang pagkakataon nilang makakain ng itlog ng pugo.

Malaki ang naging pasasalamat ni Janet sa DSWD at 4Ps dahil sa nalasap nitong tulong mula sa Social Amelioration Program. Ipinakita pa niya ang mga nabili niyang grocery.

“Grocery namin.. Malaking pasalamat ko talaga sa DSWD kasi napakalaking tulong nito sa akin lalo’t ako na lang mag-isa ang bumubuhay sa dalawa kong anak.. Kung wala ito, ewan ko kung saan ako kukuha ng pangkain namin,” ika ni Janet sa Facebook Page ng Pantawid Pamilya Region IX.

Isa lamang si Janet sa 289,116 na pamilya sa buong Zamboanga Peninsula na nakatanggap ng SAP sa ilalim ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. Umaabot sa Php 1,055,273,400.00 ang halaga ng emergency subsidy na naibigay ng programa sa mga benepisyaryo nito ngayong panahon ng quarantine. Unang bahagi pa lamang ito ng ayudang ipagkakaloob sa mga benepisyaryo sa loob ng dalawang buwan.