Cordillera Administrative Region – A total of PhP 82 million has been allotted for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Pantawid Pamilya) beneficiaries here. The increase can be associated to the expansion of the program’s age coverage.
DSWD-CAR Regional Director Janet P. Armas said that this increase aims to intensify the assistance that the Government provides for the poor families, as identified by the NHTS-PR or Listahanan, with children 0-18 years old.
“The cash grants from the Pantawid Pamilya are provided given that our partner beneficiaries are able to comply with the program’s conditionalities. It ensures that the children are able to go to school and avail of the health services. And through its expansion, we are providing the beneficiaries the opportunity to finish their secondary education. “Dir. Armas shared.
It was in SY 2012-2013 that the Department of Education has decided to implement the K to 12 curriculum which added two years of basic education for Filipino students which involved the Pantawid Pamilya children. With this, the Department has pushed for the age expansion and was eventually implemented in 2014.
As of 24 February 2015, a total of 62,669 households are under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. 118,656 children are monitored by the program in relation to their compliance to education. And a total of 9,213 students have been added to the list because of the program’s age expansion.
Among the beneficiaries who will be able to benefit from the program expansion is 31 year old Maureen Calonge of Brgy. Honeymoon, Baguio City. For the last pay-out, Maureen received Php 1,100 for her two (2) children who are under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. “Nasunog ang bahay namin noon at hindi ako nakapagtrabaho dahil kailangan ako ng bunso kong sakitin. Dahil sa ibinibigay na tulong ng Pantawid Pamliya, kahit papaano ay nakaka-recover na kami dahil yung grant, nagagamit para sa pag-aaral ng mga anak ko, nakakadagdag sa panggastos namin”, Maureen shared.
Pantawid Pamilya partner beneficiaries receive an amount of PhP300.00 per child who is enrolled in the elementary level and PhP 500.00 for each student in high school. Each household is also given PhP 500.00 for their health grant. However, each household is only allowed to enroll up to three (3) children under the Pantawid Pamilya. Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries should also comply to conditionalities including attendance to at least 85%school attendance, parents attending the FDS, and regular visit to health centers for them to be able to receive their grants. #DSWD-CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, NERIZZA FAYE G. VILLANUEVA with reports from SEANG BEUL RA (UC Intern)
