THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that there are 3,127 registered beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in Baguio City as of January 2015.
A total grants disbursed in the city for the period January to October 2014 amounted to P23,463,500 compared to 17,757,200 for the year 2013.
4Ps provides conditional grants to the beneficiaries such as P6,000 a year of P500 per month per household for health and nutrition expenses and P3,000 for one school year of 10 months of P300/month per child for educational expenses. A maximum of three children per household is allowed.
To avail of cash grants, the beneficiaries must comply with the following requirements: 1) pregnant women must get pre and port natal care and be attended by skilled/trained professional during a child birth; 2) parents or guardians must attend responsible family development sessions 3) children 0-5 years old must receive regular preventive health check-ups and vaccines; 4) children 3-5 years old must attend day care or pre-school classes at least 85 percent of the time; 5) children 6-14 years old must enroll in elementary or high school and attend at least 85 percent of the time and they must avail of the deworming pills every five months.
Non-compliance to the conditions will result in the suspension of cash grants or dropping from the program.
The DSWD in coordination with the advisory councils composed of the Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Interior and Local Government, and the local government unit will verify compliance every month.
However, based on the compliance verification system, when it comes to the family development session, only 71.19 percent beneficiaries in Baguio City complied with the conditions set forth under the program.
The Regional Advisory Committee then passed resolution no. 02, series of 2014 creating the Barangay Advisory Committee (BAC). The said resolution is needed to address issues and concerns pertaining to 4Ps program at the barangay level.
The BAC will respond the immediate needs of the pantawid beneficiaries and facilitate due process in resolving complaints and grievances related to project implementation at the barangay level.
The composition of the BAC includes the punong barangay, one Indigenous Peoples leader, barangay kagawad (chairperson on children’s welfare), sangguniang kabataan chairperson, school principal/head teacher, rural health midwife, part leaders in the area, area social workers and DSWD staff assigned in the locality.
It is the duties and responsibilities of the BAC to initiate measures to ensure the availability of education and health facilities at the barangay level; to encourage the responsible use of cash grants by the beneficiaries; to help ensure compliance of beneficiaries to program conditionalities (health, education and family development session); to facilitate and address complaints, requests of poor families such as targeting for endorsement to the RAC as necessary; to hold regular and special meetings; to refer to the City Advisory Committee ineligibility concerns; to initiate activities to augment well being of beneficiaries; and to help disseminate schedule of activities relative to pantawid pamilya. (Jho Arranz)