Cordillera Administrative Region- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) here remains committed to its mandate in providing maagap at mapagkalingang serbisyo despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of 30 September 2021, the Field Office has recorded a 64,63 number of households considered to be poor and vulnerable based on the Listahanan of the DSWD. The Listahanan serves as the database of poor households and basis in the provision of social welfare programs and services.
Among these programs and services include the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Sustainable Livelihood Program, Unconditional Cash Transfer, Assistance to Individuals in Crises Situation, Social Pension Program, and Cash for Work Program. These programs aim to help lessen the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of financial capacity as well as aid in recovery of the families and individuals economically.
Under the Pantawid Pamilya, there are 54,713 active households provided with the conditional cash grant amounting to PhP 216,760,400.00 after compliance to certain conditionalities including attendance to Family Development Sessions, attendance to school, and availment of medical services such as checkup and deworming sessions. The Program also extends assistance to 2,069 families in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged areas under the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer Program and was able to release PhP 8,071,350.00 worth of assistance.
The Field Office was also able to provide cash assistance to 68,847 Unconditional Cash Transfer Program beneficiaries (Social Pension and Listahanan) with a total amount of 247,849,200. This amount has been mandated by the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law to be implemented provide cash grants to poor households and individuals who may not benefit from the lower income tax rates but may be adversely affected by rising prices of commodities.
Around 91,582 indigent and sickly senior citizens have received their monthly stipend for the 1st semester with the total amount of PhP 274,746,000.00
For the Social Amelioration Program, the DSWD FO CAR is able to release PhP 2,201,413,700 total amount to 306,254 beneficiaries in the 1st tranche and 112,771 for the second tranche.
Meanwhile, under the Assistance to Individuals in Crises Situation, there are 14,034 clients who have availed of its medical, burial, financial, educational, and transportation assistance with a total worth of PhP 103,849,980.06.
Aside from the provision of cash grants, the DSWD FO CAR helps in providing livelihood opportunities to affected families through the Livelihood Assistance Grant (LAG). The LAG is part of the Bayanihan 2 which mandates the provision of cash grant to individuals and families whose source of income has been affected by the pandemic. As of 30 September 2021, there are 373 families who received a total amount of PhP 5,561,863.40 under the said program.
A total of 14,500 beneficiaries from the region received their 10-day wage amounting to a total of Php 37,700,000.00 for planning & implementing Risk Resiliency Program- Climate Change Adaptation & Mitigation, Disaster Risk Reduction (RRP-CCAM-DRR) covering 392 projects/ activities. Each beneficiary was carefully selected from poor families under DSWD LISTAHANAN living in hazardous area and along river basins in the region. Under this program, the beneficiaries were provided with temporary employment while working on projects targeting to mitigate impacts of climate change and disaster in their community.
Under the Kalahi-CIDSS Project which promotes community driven development, a total of 16,107 households are benefitting from 45 completed 2021 sub-projects which have provided temporary employment to 317 laborers during the construction.
The DSWD FO CAR has also been providing food and non-food relief items to families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the Disaster Response Management Division, the Department was able to serve all the provinces of the region with a total worth of assistance amounting to PhP 178,646,769.01 by means of Family Food Packs and Non-Food Items (FNFI).
There are316,964 Family Food Packs augmented to the affected communities in the region, amounting to PhP 152,200,698.69 with PhP 726,856.20 amount of released FFP components distributed to volunteers. Additionally, a total amount of PhP 25,719,214.12 Non-Food Items was augmented to the affected families by means of Hygiene Kits, Family Kits, Sleeping Kits, Collapsible Water Container, Malongs and Family Tents.
“Nabigyan kami ng puhunan at nagamit namin ito para sa pagsisimula ng angkop na negosyo” Alma Sarga, a solo parent from Rizal, Kalinga said. Alma received the Livelihood Assistance Grant on May 2021. Accordingly, the livelihood assistance helped her improve her retail business, allowing her to save money for the educational needs of her three children.
All of these programs and services have been implemented with the aim of easing the economic impact brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and to help the Cordillera families get back on track as we move on to the new normal. #DSWD FIELD OFFICE CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, NERIZZA FAYE G. VILLANUEVA-TRINIDAD
