During the series of Civil Society Organization (CSO)-Led Fora, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 1 (DSWD FO1) announced that the Senate’s Social Welfare Justice and Rural Development Committee already signed the Committee Report on 08 March 2016.

The said CCT Bill should be signed and approved by the President on or before 30 June 2016 for enactment. Senate session will resume on 23 May 2016 after elections to discuss and approve the CCT Bill and endorse it to PNoy.

Out of the 290 members of the House of Representatives, 19 are CCT Bill authors including Pangasinan Representative Marlyn Primicias-Agabas (House Bill Number 6393). Meanwhile, four senators wrote Bills with regard to CCT (Senate Bill 2954).

With the desire to hasten the passage of the CCT Bill, the Parent Leaders agreed to send petition letters to all the Senators to solicit their full support. They personally wrote the letters articulating their gains and successes obtained through the Program which is why they are strongly fighting for  its continuity through its institutionalization.

Parent Leader Nancy Lorenzo from Calasiao, Pangasinan said,  “Lumilipas at nauubos ang natatanggap naming cash grants pero ang mga kaalaman sa Family Development Sessions (FDS) ay pang habangbuhay naming babaunin at maipapamana sa aming mga anak. (Cash grants come and go but pieces of knowledge acquired from attending FDS is lifetime and can be passed on to our children.)”

Other Parent Leaders firmly broadcasted that they foresee upon institutionalizing the Program, all poor children will be able to graduate not only in elementary but also tertiary. They believe that the Pantawid Pamilya also led them to become empowered, active, and skilled citizens. They also claimed that with the aid of the Program, they are now confident to say that their level of well being has increased and this will be sustained through the CCT Institutionalization. (Jaesem Ryan A. Gaces, Information Officer II/Pantawid Pamilya)