Cordillera 4Ps beneficiaries compliant

BENEFICIARIES of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps in Cordillera are compliant with the conditions set by the government, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

"As to the compliance of the household beneficiaries, in the Cordillera we are happy that our household beneficiaries are compliant as to the conditions. Their attendance to family development session are very imperative. So far in CAR our household beneficiaries are compliant," Pantawid information officer Marlo Abyado Jr. said in a press conference in Sablan, Benguet.

The program provides cash grants to the poorest of the poor in a bid to improve the health, nutrition and education of children 18 years and below.

Abyado said the province of Abra recorded the highest number of dependents, followed by Benguet and Kalinga.

Since its implementation, Abyado added there has been a decline in the number of beneficiaries because of intervention by different partners. Some have graduated and waived their participation in the program.

In the region, there are a total of 57,000 registered active beneficiaries as of November this year.

Considering the risks in the delivery of benefits for the program in the Cordillera region, expansion of services and accessibility to its household beneficiaries is being pushed.

The release of cash grants is now done through automated teller machines (ATM) by authorized depository banks.

Leo Quintilla, regional director of the DSWD, said past incidents and encouraged banks to accredit more service providers.

"Kasi iyong nangyayari, most of the ATMs are in major cities, municipalities and provinces. We have seen the risks number one accidents, we have cases of holdups. These are security risks," the DSWD official said. (Lauren Alimondo)