MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, May 25 (PIA) --- An orientation about the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) was conducted here by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), region 12, last May 21.
Although the city is within the area of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), it is DSWD-12 which will implement the project.
The orientation was aimed at educating the barangay chairmen, city department heads, and other partners such as non-government organizations regarding the 4P’s.
Questions on the targeting and selection of beneficiaries, as well, as compliance with the conditionalities were clarified during the orientation held at Bagumbayan Hall inside the City Hall Complex, this city.
“The 4Ps is a poverty reduction and social development strategy of the national government that provides social assistance in the form of conditional cash grants to extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition and education particularly of children aged 0-14 years old,” said DSWD-12 Director Bai Zorahayda Tanggol-Taha.
She said cash grants up to P6,000 a year or P500 per month per household are offered to identified beneficiaries for health and nutrition expenses, as wel,l as P3,000 for a year or P300 per month per child for 10 months for educational expenses for a maximum of three (3) children per household.
“A household with three (3) qualified children will receive a subsidy of P1,400 per month during the school year or P15,000 annually as long as they comply with the conditionalities set by the program,” explained Taha.
She cited, as the conditions of the program, the following: pregnant household member must get pre-and post-natal care, and be attended by a skilled health professional during childbirth, and children 0-5 years old must receive regular preventive health check-ups and immunization.
Children 3-5 years old must attend day care or pre-school program and maintain a class attendance rate of at least 85% per month, and children 6-14 years old must enrol in elementary or high school and maintain a class attendance rate of at least 85% per month.
Also, parents or guardians must attend family development sessions at least once a month and participate in community activities.
“Non-compliance of the conditions set will result to the suspension of the cash grants or disqualification from the program,” she added.
Taha further explained that compliance with the conditions will be verified by the DSWD in coordination with the organized City Advisory Committee chaired by the City Mayor.
The committee is also composed of representatives from the Department of Education (DepEd), City Health Office (CHO), City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Population Commission (POPCOM), and City Social Welfare and Development (SWD).
The other members are the City Council’s Committee on Social Services Chairman, Association of Barangay Chairman President, and City Links. (PIA10)
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