The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 7 continued to strengthen its partnership with different local government units (LGUs) in Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

DSWD held the last leg of the local chief executive consultation dialogue in the region in Dumaguete City, which is part of the continuous coordination of the DSWD with the LGUs on the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

About 18 mayors, two (2) vice mayors, two (2) provincial social welfare and development officers, 30 local social welfare and development officers, and three (3) district representatives attended the activity held in a hotel in Dumaguete City.

Atty. Dale Louis Tudtud, who represented Siquijor Governor Jake Vincent S. Villa acknowledged the program for helping reduce poverty incidence in the province.

“In Siquijor, we are blessed to have the third lowest poverty incidence in the country, reduced from 47% in 2015 down to only 4.58% as of last year, based on statistics from the National Poverty Commission. This is a result of hard work, good governance, and the never-ending support of our partners from the national government agencies such as the DSWD through their invaluable efforts like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program,” said Atty. Tudtud.

Provincial Administrator, Atty. Arthur Fran P. Tolcidas conveyed the message of Negros Oriental Governor Manuel L. Sagarbarria that the provincial government stayed true to its commitment to supporting the program.

“We have been present in all the convergence meetings to improve our mechanisms and strategies responsive to the needs of the 4Ps beneficiaries. I am so happy to share that we have allotted and approved a budget to support the 4Ps. It may be minimal, but it can be useful to conduct capability training for our 4Ps staff, for the province-wide 4Ps Saulog ceremonial graduation, and to help our 4Ps beneficiaries in crises,” said Atty. Tolcidas.

DSWD presented the salient points of Republic Act 11310, or the 4Ps Act, the impact of the program, and the 2023 social welfare and development indicator (SWDI) results and gaps during the plenary session. In addition, the joint memorandum circular (JMC) no. 2022-001 between the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and DSWD, which aims to ensure that 4Ps households are supported and provided with complementary services in their respective localities, was also presented as one of the highlights of the event.

Based on the 2024 first quarter and second quarter monitoring, all 25 LGUs in Negros Oriental and 6 LGUs in Siquijor have JMC submission, which includes local issuances like executive orders on the creation of local convergence teams and composition of the city and municipal action team (CMAT), ordinances, and resolutions prioritizing the delivery of complementary intervention and services to active and graduated 4Ps beneficiaries.

Various LGUs in the two provinces have also appropriated budgets that accounted for more than five million pesos for the different activities in support of the program implementation, like the conduct of the 4Ps Saulog ceremonial graduation, Parent Leaders’ capability building, livelihood program, and skills training for active and exited households, stress management and mental health awareness for 4Ps staff, free medical services like laboratory and medicine to 4Ps beneficiaries, and technical assistance on farming and vegetable seedlings.

Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officers from Negros Oriental and Siquijor also presented their provincial action plans, which address the SWDI gaps with corresponding activities and budget allocations.

The highlight of the consultation dialogue is the presentation of good practices from selected local chief executives (LCEs) concerning the 4Ps implementation in their locality.

The LGUs are the Municipality of Larena for Improved Level of Well-Being, the Municipality of Pamplona for Family and Youth Development Session Implementation, the City of Tanjay for Convergence Practices, and the Municipality of Tayasan for the DSWD-DILG Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) Implementation.

In the afternoon session, DSWD recognized the LGUs for supporting the program. DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero, 4Ps Division Chief Jiah Sayson, and 4Ps Party List Representative Jonathan Clement Abalos II presented the certificate and plaque of recognition to the awardees.

All LGUs in Negros Oriental and Siquijor received recognition for their local issuances, like ordinances or resolutions supporting the 4Ps.

Meanwhile, the LGUs with complete, quality, and timely JMC quarterly submissions for 2023 were recognized, namely, Amlan, Bacong, Bais City, Basay, Bayawan City, Bindoy, Canlaon City, Dauin, Dumaguete City, La Libertad, Pamplona, San Jose, Sta. Catalina, Siaton, Sibulan, Tanjay City, Tayasan, Valencia, and Zamboanguita in Negros Oriental, and Enrique Villanueva, Larena, Lazi, Maria, San Juan, and Siquijor Capital in Siquijor Province.

The LGUs with the highest compliance rate in education were also recognized, like Amlan, Bacong, Dauin, Dumaguete City, Guihulngan City, Mabinay, San Jose, Tanjay City, Valencia, and Zamboanguita in Negros Oriental, and Enrique Villanueva, Larena, Lazi, Maria, San Juan, and Siquijor Capital in Siquijor Province. While the LGUs with the highest compliance rate in health were Amlan, Basay, Bindoy, Guihulngan City, Jimalalud, La Libertad, Mabinay, Manjuyod, Siaton, and Sibulan in Negros Oriental, and Enrique Villanueva, Larena, Lazi, Maria, San Juan, and Siquijor, capital of Siquijor Province.

The municipality of Sibulan is the only LGU with exemplary performance in resolving 4Ps gender-based violence.

The municipalities of Pamplona, Negros Oriental, and Lazi, Siquijor received the best implementation award for family development sessions. Manjuyod and Pamplona towns in Negros Oriental also received awards for the best youth development session implementation.

The towns of Ayungon, Dauin, La Libertad, and Tanjay City in Negros Oriental, and the towns of Enrique Villanueva, Larena, Lazi, Maria, San Juan, and Siquijor Capital in Siquijor Province received recognition as LGUs having the most self-sufficient households.

DSWD-7 also recognized LGUs with impactful 4Ps Saulog ceremonial graduations, like Amlan, Bais City, Dauin, Dumaguete City, Jimalalud, La Libertad, Mabinay, Manjuyod, Pamplona, Sta. Catalina, Siaton, and Tanjay City in Negros Oriental; and Larena, Lazi, Maria, and Siquijor in Siquijor Province.

DSWD capped off the local chief executive consultation with the awarding of the Best Convergence award that went to Amlan, Bais City, Dumaguete City, Manjuyod, Pamplona, Tanjay City, Tayasan, Zamboanguita, and Siquijor Capital.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Marites M. Maristela graced the activity and delivered her message underscoring the importance of partnership and convergence.

According to Assistant Secretary Maristela, “the issuance of joint memorandum circular (JMC) no. 2022-001 further strengthened the impact of the program, cultivating a partnership between the DSWD and the DILG and ensuring the implementation of the 4Ps at the local level. At this point, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all LGUs of Negros Oriental and Siquijor for supporting this JMC.”

The 4Ps is the major poverty alleviation program of the national government that invests in the health, nutrition, and education of the poor and eligible households. These and the psychosocial and educational components provided through the Family Development Session (FDS) lead the beneficiaries to have improved and sustained well-being. The government implemented the program through DSWD and institutionalized 4Ps in 2019 by Republic Act 11310. ###

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