WITH the campaign period just around the corner, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Northern Mindanao has relaunched its "anti-epal campaign" which aims to protect the government’s conditional cash transfer program from being used by national and local candidates for their political gains.
The campaign, called "Bawal Ang Epal Dito Campaign" aims to protect the integrity of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and its beneficiaries, including the various programs and services of the department.
DSWD-10 acting Regional Director Aldersey Mumar Dela Cruz reminded the 4Ps beneficiaries that politicians or any groups have no right to delist them from the program.
“No one has the right to delist a beneficiary from the Pantawid Program. Only DSWD National and Regional Office has the right to do so”, she said.
The campaign is in line with the directives of DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista Jr. that DSWD workers shall remain neutral and refrain from endorsing any political candidates and political groups.
Secretary Bautista also ordered for the conduct of payouts and other DSWD activities in neutral grounds and venues to avoid political campaigning during the DSWD activities.
Dela Cruz said 4Ps beneficiaries are only removed from the program if they will not comply with the health and education conditionalities as well as the monthly Family Development Sessions.
The Bawal Ang Epal Dito was first launched during the stint of former Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman to prevent politicians from influencing votes from the beneficiaries during DSWD activities like the payout.
Kenneth Haze Sanchez, Regional Project Coordinator of 4Ps of DSWD-10 said the relaunching of the campaign emphasizes that the 4Ps beneficiaries have the right to choose their leaders freely without being threatened or intimidated.
The 4Ps is a social protection strategy that invests in the health and education of poor children aged 0 to 14.
As of January 28, there are 258,461 beneficiaries in Northern Mindanao. Of this number, 239,708 are under the regular conditional cash transfer while 18,753 are from the modified conditional cash transfer.