The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VII expects about 380,000 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program children beneficiaries aged 3-18 enrolled this school year covering the three provinces of Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor.
Of the 382,032 monitored school children in the region as of March this year majority are in elementary with about 310,830.
Expected high school student beneficiaries are about 51,000. Some 20,000 will be in preschool.
Pantawid Pamilya is the conditional cash transfer of the Philippine government that invests in the health and education of poor children aged 0-18.
The program also implements Family Development Session (FDS), one of the three major conditionalities that grantees have to attend monthly.
FDS is conducted in partnership with civil society organizations and other government agencies. Topics during the monthly session includes understanding Gender Concept, Manifestation of Gender Bias, salient points of Republic Act 9262- Violence Against Women and their Children, Republic Act 7610- Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination, livelihood trainings, financial literacy, responsible parenting, disaster preparedness, among others.
The program aims to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by investing in human capital.
Petecio Torrentira of Barangay Dagnawan, Sagbayan, Bohol bared that the program has been a big help to his family because the grant they received aided them in buying the school needs of his children.
“Sauna nagtuo ko nga normal ranang magyawyaw sa panimalay pero tungod sa FDS naka amgo ko nga dili ni maayo labi na ug naa ang mga bata makadungog. Before, I used to think that nagging is normal at home but through FDS I realized that it’s wrong especially if the children are around,” Pepe said.
Pepe’s family was adjudged as the Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya regional winner last year and placed 2nd runner up in the national competition.
Jerry Medalba, a single parent from Balamban also shared that Pantawid Pamilya through the FDS helped him in taking care of his children.
“I have five children and it is not easy for me to raise them alone but despite my shortcomings I’m doing my best as a parent to them,” Medalba emotionally shared.
“Nakatabang sa akoa ang responsible parenting nga topic sa FDS kay dili lalim mahimong inahan ug umahan sa akong mga anak,” he said.
Medalba sends all his kids to school and is even active in joining school activities.
Recently, he is among the thousands of Pantawid Pamilya grantees in the region who joined the Brigada Eskwela 2016 spearheaded by the Department of Education (DepEd).
Like Jerry and Pepe, Constancia Atig, 39, from Barangay Cogon, Tagbilaran City also spent the early hours of her day last June 1 at Cogon Elementary School.
Atig, a mother of five disclosed that she has been actively joining Brigada Eskwela not only because it’s mandatory but because she wants to help the teachers in preparing the school for the opening of classes. ###
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