The Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 7 held the first graduation ceremony of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in Central Visayas on April 21 in Daanbantayan, Cebu.

The town has 152 families who graduate from the program.  Of these numbers, 103 families have already reached level three of well-being or have risen from poverty to self-sufficiency, while 49 have no eligible children.

Assistant Regional Director for Operations Shalaine Marie Lucero told graduates their slots in the program would be replaced with new eligible families, who will be granted the same benefits, services, and opportunities.

“Tungod sa inyong pag-graduate, aduna nay mga pamilyang mga tabangonon ang adunay tyansa nga makaapil ug makatagamtam sa benepisyo sa Pantawid Pamilya,” said Lucero.

She explained that under Republic Act 11310 or 4Ps Act, the new beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya would avail of and enjoy the benefits under the program in 7 years.

Lucero added that there were already identified families, through the Listahanan, that are poor and needed to be part of the program.

“These families will undergo validation for their eligibility,” said Lucero.

To be eligible for the program, the identified poor and near-poor families have to have children 18 years and below, have a pregnant woman at the time of the registration, and have to be interested and willing to comply with the requirements set by the program.

There are 8,744 active Pantawid beneficiaries in Daanbantayan. Among these are 1,176 households that have reached level three of the program.

Daanbantayan Mayor Sun Shimura told the graduates not to feel bad because they are no longer part of the program, for this will give other families in need the chance to be part of the program, and the town has programs and services for them.

“The local government of Daanbantayan will always be here to support and help you,” said Shimura.

Shimura said the LGU has programs that would cater to their needs, such as scholarship programs, technical vocational training, health programs, and entrepreneurship programs. Other national government agencies also implemented some programs and services like the Department of Health, Department of Education, Department of Trade and Industry, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and many more.

Regional Director Rebecca Geamala emphasized that graduates can still avail themselves of the programs and services that exist in their areas and those implemented by other government agencies to sustain the development of their families.

“Ang pag-graduate ninyo sa (You graduating from) 4Ps is a stepping stone for you to have more access in many opportunities,” said Geamala.

The 4Ps became law in April of 2019. It is a national poverty reduction strategy and a human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfers to poor families to improve their health, nutrition, and education. These, with the psychosocial and educational component provided through the Family Development Session (FDS), lead the beneficiaries to have improved and sustained well-being.

The program provides education grants of 300 pesos a month for a child in elementary or daycare, 500 and 700 pesos a month for a child in junior and in senior high school, respectively. The child receives the cash grant for a maximum of ten months in a year.

The 4Ps family beneficiaries also receive 750 pesos monthly for health grants and 600 pesos a month for the rice subsidy.

The beneficiaries who are compliant with the program conditions receive their grants for a particular period. These conditions include keeping the school-aged children in school with 85% attendance, pre and post-natal care of mothers, regular and preventive check-ups of children aged five and below, deworming of children aged six to14, and attendance in the monthly FDS. ###

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