Various Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) who are partners in the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) heed the call of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office VII (DSWD) in seeking the provisions of school supplies for the Bata Balik Eskwela advocacy campaign.

Representatives from Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation, Inc. (second and third from right) flanked by DSWD-7 employees donate school supplies for the Pantawid Pamilya’s Bata Balik Eskwela advocacy campaign.

Among those partner CSOs are Cebu People’s Multipurpose Cooperative which donated crayons, notebooks and bath soaps; Personal Collection, Inc. gave notebooks, ballpens, soaps and baby wash; Dumaguete Cathedral Credit Cooperative Multipurpose Cooperative provided 50 sets of notebooks; and Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation, Inc. donated various school supplies worth Php 5,000.00.

The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. also donated bags with school supplies while the ABS-CBN Bantay Bata Foundation gave 150 boxes of biscuits.

The DSWD Field Office VII’s Social Welfare Employees Credit Cooperative (SWECC) donated 200 notebooks and 200 ball pens.

DSWD Field Office VII employees also placed their donations of school supplies such as ballpens, pencils, notebook, pad papers, sharpeners, rulers, and scissors in the donation box located in the regional office.

The school supplies will be given to those 4Ps school children who stopped but enrolled this school year 2019-2020.

“We are thankful for the various school supplies that we received from our partner CSOs and within our DSWD-7 family. This will help a lot in our united effort in bringing Pantawid Pamilya children back to school and help them continue pursuing their education,” said DSWD-7 Regional Director Rebecca Geamala.

The Pantawid Pamilya’s Bata Balik Eskwela campaign aims to remind the children beneficiaries to enroll back to school so that they will fully utilize the program benefits. This campaign also seeks to inculcate in the minds of the children the importance and value of education in their lives and future.

The Pantawid Pamilya children are one of the stakeholders of the program and are responsible in complying with one of the main conditions of 4Ps, which is to attend school every school year.

“Through the program, the DSWD has given these poor children and their families a chance to a better future so it is really important that they should continue and finish their education,” Geamala added. ###

An organic farming advocate family in southwest Cebu emerged as this year’s Regional Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office VII (DSWD-7) announced the family of Francisco and Marilou Elardo from Brgy. Taytay, Badian as the winner in the 2019 regional tilt.

Francisco and Marilou Elardo happily pose together with their two children Reese and Christian in their home in Badian, Cebu.

Francisco’s inclination to farming started after he attended a seminar on organic farming in 2010.

“Nakat-unan nako sa seminar nga dili kinahanglan mogamit og spray nga adunay mga kemikals (I learned from the seminar that it is not necessary to spray the plants with chemicals),” Francisco said matter-of-factly.

Francisco immediately applied what he learned from the seminar and fortunately he was right on his decision to pursue organic farming. Together with his wife Marilou, and their two children, Reese and Christian, he planted a variety of vegetables like alugbati, eggplant, sweet potato, string beans, pechay, patola and malunggay.

He also grew fruit bearing trees like guyabano, papaya, tambis, guava, coconut and avocado.

In 2013, he made his backyard garden as a demonstration farm because many people have visited his backyard garden for them to know about organic farming. In fact, many high school and college students visit his demonstration farm to learn more and see an actual organic farm.

“Miski kapoy, malipay gihapon ko mag-demo sa mga estudyante kay ganahan man sad ko nga mapa-ambit sa lain akong nahibaw-an kabahin sa organic farming (Even though I am tired, I am happy to demonstrate to the students because I love to share what I have learned about organic farming),” he said.

If there are visitors, Francisco would discuss the natural farming system like indigenous microorganism, fermented plant juice and fermented fruit juice.

They also have a small fish pond in their backyard garden.

“Sa panahon nga wala pay ani, kining mga tilapia maoy among sud-anon ug dili man pud mi magkalisud palit og bugas kay naa naman rice subsidy gikan sa Pantawid (During lean season, these tilapias serve as our viand and we do not worry about rice since we already have the rice subsidy from Pantawid),” he added.

Francisco admitted that he did not expect to win the contest.

“Miskin walay contest ug unsa pa na diha, maninguha gihapon kami isip ginikanan nga makahatag kami maayong kaugmaon sa among mga anak ug makatabang pud sa uban pinaagi sa pagpananom (Even if there is no contest or whatsoever, we still need to strive as parents so that we can provide a good future for our children and also to help others through farming),” he said.

The Elardo family will receive a cash prize and a plaque of recognition during the DSWD-7’s Panaghiusa Festival to be held later this year.

They will also represent region 7 during the National Pantawid Pamilya Family Day on September 28-30, 2019 in Metro Manila.

The family of Nicolas and Elbe Bohol of Brgy. Poblacion, Mabinay, Negros Oriental placed second.

The families of Angel and Julita Batac of Brgy. San Isidro, Balilihan, Bohol and Dante and Ria Taroc of Brgy. Liloan, Maria, Siquijor garnered the third and fourth place, respectively.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a program of the national government that invests in the health and education of poor households primarily of children aged 18 and below. It is implemented by the DSWD together with other government agencies to include the Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Health (DoH).

It provides cash grants to compliant household beneficiaries with health grant worth Php 500 and educational grants worth Php 300 and Php 500.00 each to the children studying in elementary and high school, respectively. The beneficiaries also receive a rice subsidy in the form of cash amounting to Php 600.00. ###

As early as 17 years old, Ma. Lyn V. Bustillo of Masulog, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental has already tasted the rigorous life and struggles of a mother. Getting pregnant at an early age has regrettably saddened not just Ma. Lyn but her parents as well, who would have wanted her to get a degree before entering into married life. Her fate seemed to mismatch with how her parents and she have planned it to be when she discovered that she was carrying a little new life in her womb before he could finish college in 2003.

Ma. Lyn V. Bustillo on her graduation photo opportunity on March 2017

Nevertheless, not wanting to dwell much on her failure to fulfill her parent’s expectation, she has always tried to be positive and look at the brighter side of everything that was happening in her life. After giving birth, Lyn decided to focus on taking care of her family. She and her boyfriend eventually decided to get married with the blessing of both their parents on June 4, 2004.

As they venture on their new journey as a couple, things were not going smoothly. They only lived in a small nipa hut with her husband, Mahalie Bustillo, roughly earning a hundred peso a day as a farm laborer. It was hard for them to land a good-earning job as both of them have not finished a degree. Earning something that cannot suffice their daily sustenance, especially that their new born was a premature baby and needed to be bottle-fed, Lyn has learned to become responsible at a young age. She has worked in the farm, offered laundry services, and became a dealer of different products bringing her child most of the time, as she has no one to look after the baby while she’s away from home.

When she gave birth to another child and the two have already started to attend to school, her efforts to sustain their family’s need has also doubled – waking up as early as 3 in the morning to prepare food for her children and to slice fruits like mango and papaya which she was to sell in the school canteen. This has been her routine for quite a couple of years until their family became one of the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in 2011.

After a year of receiving cash grants from the program, Lyn has thought of some ways on how she can efficiently make use of the resources around her especially that she is already receiving support from the government. She wanted the program to have a remarkable impact in her life and her family’s.

Wanting to secure the future of her family, Lyn wanted to continue her schooling, which was supported by her husband. In 2013, she enrolled at Saint Joseph College of Canlaon City and took up Bachelor of Education Major in Elementary Education.

Striving to finish a degree while also hearing negative remarks from the people around has not discouraged Lyn.

“Hala, mo-eskuwela pa ka? Nag usik-usik raka og panahon. Maayo pa sa imong mga anak nga pag pa-eskuwela nalang na nimo igasto (Are you still going to school? You are only wasting your time. It would be better if you spend your money for your children’s education instead.),” said one of her neighbors who finds her plan impractical.

Lyn, however, would just politely respond to this underestimation and say “Sige lang, igo paman kay naa pa man ang 4P’s nga makatabang nako og sa amoang pamilya. At least kung mawala ug mahuman na ang programa, kampanti nako nga makapa-eskuwela sa akong mga anak sa college kay professional naman unya ko ana puhon (It is fine to me since Pantawid is also helping our family. If ever the program may no longer exist, at least I can already stand on my own and will be able to send our children to college because I am already a professional teacher when that time comes).”

Pursuing her desire for a college degree has also meant tripling her efforts as she multi-tasked in performing all her duties as a mother to her children, a wife to her husband, a Pantawid parent leader, and as a student at the same time.

Her first year in college was filled with adversities as it was also the time when her second child was hospitalized and has undergone a surgery of the intestines. She was perplexed when they discovered the amount of the hospital bill that they had to pay.

“I was relieved that the surgery was successful. Our bill reached to P34,000 but I was glad that it was covered by Philhealth. I could not be any grateful for our Pantawid membership. If not with it, we would not have been able to pay that bill, because when my Member Data Records (MDR) form was checked it was found out that it has already expired. Good thing when I showed them my Pantawid ID, they immediately approved the Philhealth coverage for our bill,” Lyn narrated.

Despite all of these, for Lyn, life must go on. She went on and never stopped from multi-tasking. She would sell snacks and food in school to earn something for her daily allowance, school projects and contributions. Most of the cash grants from the program would go directly to her children and family’s need while the extra cash would be paid for her tuition. That was how Lyn has been scrimping to survive every day until March 2017 came.

After four years of her serious effort to secure his family’s future, Lyn is getting closer to that dream as she graduated from college with the degree of Bachelor of Elementary Education at the age of 31, reaping the fruits of her hard work.

“I realize that nothing is really impossible if you dream. Change comes in our own choices. I always believe that God has always been my partner in my way to this success,” Lyn shared.

On March 2018, Lyn successfully passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers through the unfailing support of her husband and family.

“After I graduated, I immediately started teaching in our church as a Kinder teacher until March 2019, and currently, I am rendering a voluntary service in a public elementary school in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental while waiting for the result of our ranking,” Lyn amusingly shared.

For her, getting a degree is important in securing not just her future but of her children and family. She may have admittedly regretted of getting pregnant at an early age but she did not allow this to be a hindrance of resuming her pursuit to education. She worked hard to get back on her feet and finished school. Now, as she remains hopeful of finally settling in a public school and practice professional teaching, she is also seeing a vibrant future ahead of her children and family.

Ma. Lyn Bustillo only proves that the fulfillment of an education is always possible, no matter the age, and that when you desire something all the universe will indeed conspire to help you achieve it. ###

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) partner-beneficiaries have benefited from their communal and backyard gardening projects.

Communal Garden in Balilihan

The Balilihan Farmers Marketing Cooperative (BFMC) has grown vegetables in a communal garden for almost four years now.

The cooperative’s 24 active members are composed of five (5) 4Ps beneficiaries and 19 non-4Ps beneficiaries.

Balilihan Farmers Marketing Coop (BFMC) sells their fresh produce in the public market.

According to Julita Batac, a coop member and a 4Ps beneficiariy, the income from the communal garden helps in meeting the school needs of her children.

“Tinuod nga nakadugang ang income sa communal vegetable garden sa among kita kay matag semana ka duha mi mag harvest, Lunes ug Biyernes. Ihatud namo ang utanon ngadto sa Bohol Quality Mall ug uban pang tindahan sa Tagbilaran City. Mudisplay pud mi sa among merkado sa Balilihan kada Martes kay mao mana ang Market Day sa among lungsod (Truly our communal vegetable garden has augmented our income because we harvest twice a week, Monday and Friday. We also display in our public market every Tuesday because that is the Market Day of our town),” said Julita.

She encouraged other 4Ps partner-beneficiaries to plant vegetables in their own backyard because it will help them save money.

“Kung magtanom sila, makakaon sila og presko nga utanon nga makatabang kini sa ilang resistensya aron dili sila dali matakdan og sakit (If they plant, they can eat fresh vegetables that can help boast their immune system and prevent them from getting ill),” added Julita.

Resourceful families

To help her husband in their family’s expenses, Teresita Amas from Bindoy, Negros Oriental decided to plant vegetables in their garden. Her husband Ruel works as a carpenter.

“Nalipay ko nga pinaagi sa pagtanom nakatabang kini sa pagkunhod sa among galastuhon nga dili na kinahanglan mupalit pa didto sa merkado. Kada paniudto ug panihapon, magluto ko og gulay (I am glad that planting vegetables helps lessen our expenses because I would not necessarily buy in the market anymore. Every lunch and dinner, I make sure that I cook vegetables),” said Teresita.

The family has a small ricefield but due to scarcity of water, Teresita decided to plant it instead with string beans.

Teresita and her daughter Jessa Mae harvest their string beans from their backyard garden.

Luckily, the yield is more than what she expected, therefore, she was able to sell some to her neighbors. She also delivers the string beans to the market and it earns her more or less Php 250.00 every harvest.

With that, Teresita was able to save money which she will use in the next planting season.

Found in the mountain barangay in Dalaguete, Cebu, the one hectare “Manolo’s Farm” was established by a 4Ps couple, Manolo and Basilisa Lanzaderas, to ensure that their family eats healthy and nutritious food while earning income out of the said farm.

Manolo applied all his acquired knowledge from trainings and seminars about organic farming and has been harvesting variety of vegetables like cherry tomato, bell pepper, spring onions, parsley, lemon grass, lettuce, chives, coriander, carrots, cabbage, basil and among others.

As a trained organic farmer, he encourages other 4Ps partner-beneficiaries to follow the natural farming system.

“Andam man sad ko magtudlo sa uban kabahin aning organic farming aron makabalo pud sila og unsay maayong benepisyo sa organic farming sa ilang pamilya ug sa kalikupan (I am ready to teach others about organic farming so that they would know the good benefits of organic farming for their family and for the environment),” shared Manolo.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to strengthen the implementation of communal and backyard gardening project among Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) partner-beneficiaries to empower them and promote good health among poor Filipino families.

Manolo waters the vegetables in his farm located in Barangay Dumalan, Dalaguete, Cebu.

Gardening aims to help address the nutrition concerns of beneficiaries by encouraging families to use indigenous seeds and organic fertilizer to grow vegetables within their own communities or households.

The DSWD has incorporated knowledge and skills enhancement training in the family development sessions (FDS) of 4Ps beneficiaries to enable them to become productive members of society and to provide them support for self-sufficiency. ###

About 364 students from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) under the Expanded Students Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA) completed their tertiary education for school year 2018-2019.

The ESGP-PA is implemented by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) together with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).

The program provided opportunities to 4Ps households who have children who are determined to pursue college education and qualified for the scholarship. A college degree for the children-beneficiaries opens an opportunity for them to access better employment and help them improve their lives.

These students graduated from the five partner SUCs in region 7. These are Siquijor State College (SSC) with 75 graduates, Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) with 154 graduates, Cebu Technological University (CTU) with 111 graduates, Cebu Normal University (CNU) has 3 graduates and Bohol Island State University (BISU) with 21 graduates.

One of the ESGP-PA graduates is Melchie F. Ejera from Consolacion, Cebu who finished Bachelor of Elementary Education major in Early Childhood Education at the Cebu Technological University (CTU) – Main Campus.

Melchie is flanked by her proud parents during the recent commencement exercise of Cebu Technological University (CTU) Main Campus.

“I grew up in a situation where poverty for me is normal, to the point that we used to have different addresses because we did not have permanent house at all. My father is a factory worker and his salary is not enough for our daily needs. I see how my parents work hard to support our needs especially in our education,” said Melchie.

Year 2013, Melchie’s family became one of the partner-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

“This government program is an answer to our prayers. Through the 4Ps we were able to pay for our school expenses and bought some delicious food that we have never tasted before,” she added.

“When I was in my first year and second year college, there was never a time that I have not shed tears every school enrolment. My father did not have a regular work at that time. That’s why my parents need to borrow money from their friends just to pay for my tuition fee,” revealed Melchie

“There were times that I wanted to quit but every time I saw the eyes of my parents how they wanted me to pursue my dreams, it also gave me encouragement not to lose hope,” she said

Melchie became an ESGP-PA when she was in her third year college.

“What I have been through is something that I cannot shrug off and forget about. I am thankful that I have experienced all of the hardships because it motivated me to work and pray hard,” said Melchie.

“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the people who helped me out through this journey, to the government, to the DSWD through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and to the ESGP-PA family. Indeed, God used all of you as instruments to help me pursue my dreams,” the Cum Laude graduate said.

ESGP-PA scholars are now transitioned to the Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education Act or UniFAST which implements the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES). ###

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VII has announced the three winners from each four provinces in region 7. Having been chosen after a series of rigorous cluster and provincial desk validation, these winners will be honored during the provincial awarding ceremony this June.

The Bohol provincial winner is the Batac family of Balilihan town while the second and third placers are the Busalanan family of Dagohoy and Palingcod family from Batuan, respectively.

The provincial winner of Cebu is the Elardo family from the town of Badian. The second placer is the Vaflor family from Cordova while the third placer is the Ejes family from Bantayan.

The Negros Oriental provincial winners are the following: Bohol family of Mabinay, first place; Villego family of Basay, second place; and Esteral family of Siaton, third place.

Siquijor’s provincial winners include the Taroc family of Maria, first place; Astillero of San Juan, second place; and Ponce family of Lazi, third place.

“These families exemplified strong family ties, demonstrated positive Filipino values and had created a positive impact in their community,” said DSWD-7 Regional Director Rebecca P. Geamala.

She added that their stories are truly inspirational and worthy of emulation by other Pantawid Pamilya family-beneficiaries.

“Through this Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya search, we can disprove the misconception that program beneficiaries become too dependent on government aid and underscores the value of working together to achieve success,” Director Geamala added.

These Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya were chosen based on the following criteria: 1.) strong family ties and harmonious relationship while upholding Filipino values despite the challenges of poverty (25%), 2.) family practices and promotes healthy living and environment care (20%), 3.) family involvement in community activities (20%), 4.) family as inspiration to others in the community (20%) and 5.) strives to improve living conditions amidst difficult situation (15%).

The provincial winners will receive cash prizes and certificates of recognition.

The judges during the provincial search were from partner national government agencies like DOH, DepEd, PIA, provincial government of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor and partner civil society organizations (CSOs).

The provincial first placers will compete in the regional level search in July 2019. ###

“I was diagnosed with hydrocephalus but despite my condition, I never considered myself a disabled one. Instead, I see this as an inspiration to look for the brighter things in life. I hope through my story I could also inspire and empower others who are suffering from any problems, whether an illness, a brain condition like hydrocephalus or any other challenges that they face,” said Ma. Janica Delusa of Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

Hydrocephalus is a brain condition that happens when cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) — the clear, watery fluid that surrounds and cushions the brain and spinal cord — cannot drain from the brain. It then pools, causing a buildup of fluid in the skull. If it is not treated, hydrocephalus can lead to brain damage, a loss in mental and physical abilities.

Janica had her surgery in 2016.

“The doctor told us to prepare a considerable amount of money for my operation and my family was extremely worried on where to get the payment for the medical bills,” recalled Janica.

“Gladly, through the help of PhilHealth, the hospital bill had been paid. My mother had just presented our 4Ps id and my hospital bill of about a million had become zero balance,” she added.

“The year when I got operated was also the year of my graduation in elementary. I could still remember that while my classmates were busy of their practice for our graduation day, I was also fighting for my life inside the operating room. Thank God, I survived. I did not expect to be awarded as class valedictorian that is why I was so grateful that I was recognized as class valedictorian,” tearfully said Janica.

“Abled or disabled, there’s no greater difference between the two. We could make something useful out of everything without minding the capabilities we may have. Others may treat me as a person that could only limit the things that I may be able to do but I think otherwise. Because I know that there is no limit to what we can dream,” said Janica.

Active student

Janica often emerged top of her class and actively joined school activities such as quiz bee, jingle making, dancing contest, essay writing contest and she constantly won in every contest.

As one of the officers of the Supreme Student Government (SSG) in her school, she stands as a role model to her classmates in leading both the co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

Ma. Janica Delusa (second from right) poses with her classmates after their recognition ceremony at Manga National High School in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

“I am also the Vice President of the Girl Scout of the Philippines in our school and I always try hard to be a good example to my co-girl scouts and to the students. We usually do clean-up and tree planting activities and these are our ways in maintaining the cleanliness and tidiness of our community and make it a safe haven for us students,” said the incoming Grade 10 student.

Becoming Pantawid beneficiary

“I always study hard since I want to help my family in the future. The only problem was that, my parents cannot easily sustain our family needs, especially financial needs. During that time, I could say that our life was hard. My father is a trisikad driver and my mother is a plain housewife. I have 6 siblings and it was not easy for my parents to provide for our daily needs,” added Janica.

“I always wanted to finish my study but my parents could hardly pay our school fees since the money that my father earned was only enough for our daily food expenses. There were times that we could not even eat at the right time,” she recalled.

Janica said that their life changed when they become partner-beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

“We can now pay our school fees and buy school supplies through the cash grants that we received from 4Ps,” said Janica.

“Also, as a child-beneficiary of the program, I was able to attend the Youth Development Session (YDS) at school and I am very glad that I have learned a lot of things from the said activity such as having proper hygiene and being a role model to everyone,” cheerfully said Janica.

Her favorite bible verse is Jeremiah 29:11 ” For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

“I’m holding on to this verse because I know that God has planned something bigger for me. Things that I have never expected to come and to happen in my life. One great proof is when I won as the 2018 Provincial Exemplary Pantawid Pamilya Child in Bohol,’’ proudly said Janica.

She encourages her co-students and fellow youths to pursue their dreams and never lose hope.

Future Teacher

“I am very thankful to God for giving me a second chance to live in this world and pursue my dreams. I hope I would become a professional teacher because I want to let my future students know the true essence of living life to the fullest. I want to let them realize how good it is to feel that there is hope and how good it is to share the greatness of faith. I also want to let them discover on how life unfolds each passing day and how vast the world, waiting for them to be explored,” said Janica.

“Above all these, I give all the glory to God our creator, for the successes He let me enjoy. Though sometimes, His ways are beyond my understanding, I am holding on to my faith with firm belief, that despite all life’s challenges, God is crafting my grandest future. ###

As the opening of classes for school year 2019-2020 is nearing, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Central Visayas launches its advocacy campaign on “Bata Balik Eskwela.”

Pantawid Pamilya Information Officer Kerwin Macopia discusses to DSWD-7 staff the Bata Balik Eskwela Campaign and encourages them to actively engage in this collective effort through provision of school supplies to some Pantawid Pamilya children.

The Pantawid Pamilya children are one of the stakeholders of the program and are responsible in complying with one of the main conditions of 4Ps, which is to attend school every school year.

The 4Ps is a human development program of the national government that invests in the health and education of poor households, particularly of children aged 0-18 years old.

The program however, recognizes that there are children who have difficulty continuing their study for various reasons that needed to be addressed. The recently launched Pantawid Pamilya’s Bata Balik Eskwela campaign aims to remind the children beneficiaries to enroll back to school so that they will fully utilize the program benefits. This campaign also seeks to inculcate in the minds of the children the importance and value of education in their lives and future.

“Through this campaign, DSWD would like to bring back to school the 4Ps children especially those who stopped going to school,” said DSWD-7 Regional Director Rebecca Geamala.

As part of this effort to encourage children to enroll back to school, school supplies and materials will be distributed to the returning students from various provinces of Central Visayas region in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd).

“In coordination with the DepEd during the Brigada Eskwela, DSWD installed the Pantawid Pamilya help desk to encourage the parents and their children to enroll in the incoming school year,” added Dir. Geamala.

Geamala said that part of the DSWD intervention is the house visitation to 4Ps families whose children failed to attend classes in the previous school year.

During the home visit, the Pantawid City and Municipal Link would talk to the parents and their children to identify issues and barriers that prevent them from attending school and complying with the condition on education.

“Once issues are identified, the Pantawid worker would discuss it with the concerned partner-beneficiary especially the child/children. It is hoped that through this effort, children are motivated to continue going to school and comply with the agreements reached during the home visit,” said Dir. Geamala.

“Through the program, the DSWD has given these poor children and their families a chance to a better future so it is really important that they should continue and finish their education,” she added.

A DSWD-7 staff puts a bundle of pencils into the donation box for school supplies which will be distributed to the returning 4Ps children in the opening of classes for school year 2019-2020. This is in support of the Department’s advocacy campaign on Bata Balik Eskwela in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd).

The department seeks possible provisions of school supplies from private individuals, groups, institutions/organizations and partner Civil Society Organizations (CSO) interested to get involved in this effort to bring Pantawid Pamilya children back to school and help them continue pursuing their education.

Currently, the DSWD-7 already received some school supplies and other goods from Personal Collections and Avon Incorporated.

The Department looks forward to accepting provisions of school supplies from various groups and individuals up to May 31, 2019 which will be distributed in June during the opening of classes for school year 2019-2020.

Interested sponsors may reach Ms. Charo M. Monte de Ramos, Institutional Partnership Development Officer – CSO, through this contact number 0967-3254338. ###