BECAUSE of minor glitches in extending the contracts with conduit banks, the money intended for the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 for the period July to September has been delayed.
DSWD 7 information officer Kerwin Macopia said only those who are receiving their cash grants over the counter are affected. Those receiving the money through their cash cards with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) are still getting their assistance regularly.
Those who are receiving over-the-counter cash grants are those living in areas that are far from an LBP branch.
“We have a delay because we’re extending out contract with our conduit bank. Take note that the cash grants are not with the DSWD. They are with the LBP, which in turn also has a conduit bank,” said Macopia.
He said choosing a conduit bank is done through bidding. The bank will be the one to go to the towns to distribute the cash grants to the 4Ps beneficiaries.
“I-bidding sad na. Unya naka-stipulate na na sa kontrata ang period to pay. Dili man na siya forever. So, mao to nag-re-extend ta (It had to undergo bidding and the period of service is stipulated in the contract. It is not forever. That’s why we need to extend),” said Macopia.
They are trying their best to release the delayed cash grants on Nov. 16, and they hope to distribute the grants from October to November in December.
There are about 287,266 beneficiaries in Region 7. Of the number, 189,259 receive over-the-counter grants from the conduit banks, while 98,007 withdraw their cash from the LBP’s ATMs.
Macopia said the other conduit partners are the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO) and the Rural Bank of Catmon.
He said there is no corruption involved in the delay of the grants’ release. He said the money goes directly from the bank to the beneficiaries, without intermediaries.
A family beneficiary receives P500/month as education grant if it has a child in high school and P300 if in elementary school, up to three children. They get an additional P500 as health grant and P600 rice subsidy per month. (SCG of Super Balita)