24 LGUs to get P69.7M retro payment for 4Ps

TWENTY four local government units in the province will receive retroactive payments for the beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Dionela Flores Madrona, grievance officer of DSWD-Negros Occidental, said the payment covered the period from July to September 2011. Benefits for the remaining period are still on process.

The reason for retroactive payment was the cancellation from the list of some 2,000 4Ps household-beneficiaries due to false information, fraud, non-poor, some were elected or appointed officials in the barangays or working either in private or government entity with permanent status of appointment.

Other beneficiaries failed to comply with the requirements set by DSWD like the attendance in school by the kids, parents involving in gambling, smoking, drinking hard liquor, sending their kids to child labor, committing the Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) law and failing to observe regular medical check up with the local health office.

However, the latest survey conducted by DSWD showed 75,000 households that will receive the subsidy from the government in the total amount of P69.7 million, Madrona said.

Due to 4Ps, drop outs of pupils and high school students have been minimized because part of the requirement to continuously avail of the program is to make sure the kids attend their classes in school.

In the city, out of 61 barangays, only Barangay 37 was excluded from the 4Ps program because it is located at the business center of the city. (Teresa D. Ellera)