1.5 million beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in the entire country will not be delisted from the Program.
This was proclaimed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman during her dialogue with thousands of Parent Leaders held in Dagupan City recently.
She further explained that these families may have been experiencing improved quality of life through the Program but not yet totally self-sufficient. Thus, it is important to still guide them until they finally reach self-sufficiency.
Investing on human capital is one way of alleviating poverty through the Program’s conditionalities on education and health of children ages 0-18. She added that these children-beneficiaries will be assisted by the Program until they finish Grade 12 because education is the most important key to eradicate poverty. There were 333,673 high school graduates in the entire country under the Program this year.
In additon, Sec. Dinky stated that there will be additional slots provided for the Expanded Students’ Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA) this June. Of the 231 ESGP-PA graduates this year in the region, 11 are awardees (Cum Laude, With Distinction, Best in Thesis, and Cultural Awards).
She reported that the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Bill is now ready for second reading at the Senate after the Committee Report was signed by the its Social Welfare Justice and Rural Development Committee on 08 March 2016.
The Secretary also announced that additional amount for cash grant is being proposed by DSWD to the Congress for next year. Also, the Department is studying the possibility of converting the cash cards into debit cards.
Parent Leaders were also thrilled upon hearing from the Secretary that those interested will be provided with computer courses in coordination with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which will definitely start in Region 1. According to the Parent Leaders, they need this to help their City/Municipal Links for faster and more efficient updating of beneficiaries’ records.
With this, Sec. Dinky said, “Patatagin ang patuloy na pag-asenso ng mga benepisyaryo ng Pantawid Pamilya. Hawak na ninyo, nakikita at nararamdaman ang pagbabago mula sa Programa. Matuwid ninyong pinanindigan ang inyong katungkulan. Sa inyong mga ginagawa, kayo ang magpapasigurado na magpapatuloy ang programa. Kayo ang tunay na susi at tagapagpadaloy ng pagbabago! (Strengthen the continuous development of all Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries. You have been manifesting the positive changes you obtained from the Program. With all pride and dedication, you performed well your responsibilities. In all the things you do, you make an assurance for the continuity of the Program. You are the real key and facilitators of change!)” (by: Jaesem Ryan A. Gaces, Information Officer II/ Pantawid Pamilya)
