BAGUIO CITY – 18,048 poor households in the region are expected to benefit from the Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) program with an annual cash grant amounting to P2, 400.00 for 2018. With the Pantawid Pamilya households and the Social Pensioners, the total UCT beneficiaries for CAR is 147,008.

The addition comes from the validation conducted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development- Cordillera Administrative Region (DSWD-CAR) through the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) or the Listahanan.

The Listahanan recently validated around 31,392 households to ensure that the beneficiaries of the UCT belong to the poorest in the region. The validated households were subjected to a proxy means test in order to identify those who belong to poor households under the 1st to 7th income deciles in accordance to the TRAIN Law.

The DSWD Field Office is set to notify and to register the household beneficiaries with the Land Bank of the Philippines cash card facility.

“We aim to finish the registration by August and to start giving the assistance to the beneficiaries by September. To have a smooth registration, we ask that the beneficiaries to prepare all the requirements such as three (3) 2×2 ID pictures, proof of identity like any government issued identification card, birth or marriage certificate if available, and the UCT beneficiary notification form which will be given to them by the notifiers.”, DSWD CAR OIC- Regional Director Janet P. Armas said.

“Beneficiaries who lack the required documents would mean non-enrollment in the LBP cash card facility thus the notice should be the basis of the household to secure the needed documents before the scheduled LBP registration”, Armas added.

The NHTS composed of Regional Field Coordinator, Regional Associate Statistician, Regional Information Technology Officer, and Administrative Assistants will serve as the Area Coordinating Team who shall oversee the notification and registration of beneficiaries and provide technical assistance to staff in the provinces.

The government is expected to provide monthly cash grant of P200.00 this year and P300.00 by year 2019-2020 for the existing 62,880 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries, 66,080 existing Social Pension beneficiaries, and 18,048 are identified new poor Listahanan households.

The UCT program is part of the national government’s Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law. This aims to assist poor Filipinos affected by the rising prices of goods because of the implementation of the tax reform program. # DSWD-CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, Mark Erik King Guanzon

Cordillera Administrative Region– The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) here continues its disaster operations as it monitors the effect of the monsoon rains over the region.

“We are already on our first week of disaster operations due to the continuous rains all over Cordillera, and we remain ready to provide intervention, if necessary”, DSWD-CAR OIC- Regional Director Janet P. Armas said.

As of 26 July 2018, the DSWD has accounted 137 families or 599 individuals that have been affected by the rains. Of which, 97 families or 423 individuals were recorded as displaced and stayed with their relatives. All families who stayed with their relatives have already returned to their homes.

Meanwhile, there has been 38 families of 166 individuals who were reported displaced and opted to stay inside the evacuation centers. As of writing time, there are still two (2) families composed of twelve (12) individuals are staying in the Baguio City Evacuation Center.

The affected families have been provided with family food packs, dignity kits, hygiene kits, and blankets worth PhP 278,355.940 of which, PhP 217,344.10 came from DSWD-CAR.

On the other hand, DSWD-CAR has allocated around 13,700 family food packs worth PhP 5,476,575.00, 770 sleeping kits worth PhP 583,467.50 and hygiene kits worth PhP 1,376,567.50 to various provinces in CAR. Around 16,838 family food packs are also available in the DSWD-CAR warehouse.

“Though we have improved weather conditions, we would like to appeal to our communities to remain vigilant. Always listen to authorities and be prepared. Take necessary caution especially during these times of disaster. Do not hesitate to ask assistance from your local government units and the DSWD”, Director Armas added.

For queries and concern, DSWD-CAR can be reached through its Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Team Offices  in your respective provinces or at #40 North Drive, Baguio City with contact number (074) 446-59-61 or 444-32-62 or 0906 094 1064 or 0949 141 7232. #DSWD-CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, Nerizza Faye G. Villanueva

BANGUED, ABRA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) funded livelihood projects of Pantawid beneficiaries in Bangued, Abra.

From July 2-6, SLP has released a total amount of Php. 1,390,000.00 Seed Capital Fund (SCF) to four associations with 130 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in Bangued, Abra.

This livelihood assistance is under the Seed Capital Fund (SCF) modality of SLP, which aims to provide financial support to the program participants for engaging in and maintain thriving livelihoods.

The four SLP Associations include the Cosil West Pantawid Association with 37 members, Hillside Kapuso Association with 23 members, St. Anthony Association with 42 members, and Pusong Bato Association with 28 members.

These four associations have engaged in Cattle and Goat raising, and Agri-Vet and General Merchandise that fits the demands in the community.

The SLPA members are Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries who are currently reliant on their income from daily labor, farming and retailing of rice, corn and beauty products.

“Dakkel nga tulong kanyami nga naipaayan kami nga miyembro iti St. Anthony SLPA ta adan iti pagrugrugyan me ti pagbyagan me en. Ket agyaman kami ta ada iti SLP nga programa (The livelihood assistance is of great help to us members of the SLP association, we now have a micro-enterprise to maintain for us to boost our economic status),” Pedrita “Pedz” Baga, treasurer of the St. Anthony SLPA said.

The participants availing of the SCF modality were organized into associations and have been accredited by the DSWD. Organizing them into association is one way of capability building of the program to ensure the sustainability of the livelihood.

The SLP is a capability-building program for poor, vulnerable and marginalized households and communities to improve their socio-economic conditions through accessing and acquiring necessary assets to engage in and maintain thriving livelihoods. This is done through micro-enterprise development focusing on starting, expanding or rehabilitating micro-enterprises and skills training.

For 2018, the Sustainable Livelihood Program – CAR targets 5,225 poor and vulnerable individuals for micro-enterprise development and employment facilitation with a P112,410,650 budget. #DSWD-CAR, Babble Mae Gorio, Social Marketing Officer with contributions from: Grace B. Bandayrel, Implementing Project Development Officer

Cordillera Administrative Region- As of July 10 2018, the Department of Social Welfare and Development here has already completed the validation of the 31,392 Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) Program potential beneficiaries. This is after a thorough reassessment of poor households identified in the 2015 Listahanan assessment.

“The first assessment was done in 2009, followed by another in 2015. This 2018, we conducted a validation due to the implementation of the UCT as mandated by the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN LAW”, DSWD-CAR OIC- Regional Director Janet P. Armas said.

Validation of Listahanan-identified poor households in the region started on 11 April 2018. Validators conducted house-to-house assessment of the poor households identified in the 2015 assessment.

Out of the 31,392 households, 26,218 households are validated and are identified as potential target beneficiaries of the UCT.

“Though we have already have this number, this still need to undergo our Proxy Means Test (PMT). After running the PMT, we are expecting to have the final list of our UCT beneficiaries”, Armas added.

PMT is a statistical model that generates a score for the households based on household characteristics. A household’s score is then compared against a predetermined provincial poverty threshold to determine whether it is to be identified as poor or non-poor.

Meanwhile, as a result of the validation, the Listahanan has identified 188 duplicated households.

“The Field Office through Listahanan did its best to validate the poor households to ensure that our list will be free from errors such as inclusion of non-poor and non-eligibile and duplicity of entries. Expect that there will be beneficiaries that will be delisted from our programs such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and Social Pension Program,” Armas shared.

As of 30 June 2018, there are 1,555 households that have been delisted from the Pantawid Program due to fraud, duplicity and non-eligibility. Meanwhile, Social Pension Program beneficiaries will be cross-matched to the pensioners of the Social Security System, Government Services Insurance System and Philippine Veterans Affairs Office to ensure that the Social Pensioners are not receiving additional pension from these institutions.

“We would like to reiterate that only DSWD can delist beneficiaries from its programs and services and delisting is only possible if there are grounds for it such as non-compliance to criteria or guidelines. We have a grievance machinery system and delisting beneficiaries shall undergo our process.

If anyone observes any irregularity in our programs and services, you can report to our office so we can provide appropriate action or intervention. Provide the needed information such as their names and address so we can do the necessary investigation. The DSWD is open to comments and observations so we can improve our program and service delivery”, Armas emphasized.

Reports, queries and grievances may be directed to the DSWD-CAR at #40 North Drive, Baguio City or through (074) 446-59-61 or 442-32-62 or www.facebook.com/dswdfocar or focar@dswd.gov.ph. #DSWD-CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, Nerizza Faye G. Villanueva with reports from Mark Erik King Guanzon, Listahanan Information Officer

Cordillera Administrative Region- A total of 66,080 pensioners under the Social Pension Program for Indigent Senior Citizens of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are targeted to receive their Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) stipend this July.

The stipend amounts to PhP 200.00 per month but will be released once through over the counter modality.

“Our pensioners will be receiving a total of PhP 2,400 for their UCT stipend this year. Over the counter pay-out will be done through the Land Bank of the Philippines”, DSWD-CAR OIC-Regional Director Janet P. Armas said.

A total of PhP 158,592,000 has been allotted to cover the assistance to the social pensioners.

Of the 66,080 pensioners, Abra Province has the highest number of target beneficiaries with 15,600 followed by Benguet Province with 12, 843, Ifugao Province with 11,289, Kalinga Province with 10,677 and Apayao Province with 7,571. Meanwhile, target beneficiaries from Mountain Province is 7,142 and Baguio City is 958. This is out of the 85,048 social pensioners in the region.

“As much as we want to accommodate all our Social Pensioners in the UCT, we regret that only around 77% of them will receive the UCT stipend. Those who will receive the assistance are those born before 5 June 1954. This scheme was implemented to ensure that older pensioners will receive the assistance due to limited funds”, Armas added.

Meanwhile, additional beneficiaries of the UCT are yet to be identified through the validation of Listahanan-listed poor households. After the validation, the NHTS will run a Proxy Means Test to identify those who will be receiving the cash transfer.

As of 3 July 2018, the accomplishment rate of the validation is at 99.82% or 31,336 out of 31,392 households have already been validated.

On the other hand, as of May 2018 around 54,753 Pantawid Pamilya households have already received the UCT stipend. of this number, 6,442 are from Abra Province, 7,604 from Apayao Province, 3,094 from Baguio City, 11,423 from Benguet Province, 8,619 from Ifugao Province, 11,141 from Kalinga Province and 6,430 from Mountain Province.

Queries and additional information on the UCT can be directed to the DSWD-CAR Office at #40 North Drive, Baguio City through (074) 446-59-61 or through its social media accounts at www.facebook.com/dswdfocar or Twitter account @dswdfocar.

The Unconditional Cash Transfer, lodged under the DSWD, is a provision of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law that aims to alleviate the additional cost of living brought about by the increase in amount of common commodities. Under the law, Social Pensioners, Pantawid Pamilya, and Listahanan-identified poor households are entitled to receive the assistance. #DSWD-CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, Nerizza Faye G. Villanueva

Conducting a family development session doesn’t seem to be enough. The generous people of this village seems to need more than that.
From his regular visits in Barangay Anonat, Paracelis, Mountain Province, Antonio Ramon Jr or “Tonyang,” DSWD Project Development Officer (PDO) for Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Pantawid Pamilya) observed that basic services hardly reach this village. The main reasons ─ distance and lack of transportation. This village is considered as geographically isolated and disadvantaged area (GIDA).

Barangay Anonat is a village in eastern part of Paracelis, Mountain Province. Most of its sitios can be reached using motorcycle or through hiking. “To be able to reach the town center, residents of Barangay Anonat would spend 500 pesos for motorcycle hire,” says Tonyang.
He added that most of the road to this barangay are unpaved, which would change from muddy to rough road depending on the weather condition.

The people of Anonat earn their keep from corn, banana and rice production which they sell in Alfonso Lista, a neighboring town in Ifugao.
They live a simple life. But if there is one thing that they want to improveꟷ it is to keep their health in check, and to be informed on the services of their local government that they can avail.

“For nearly two years working in this village, I’ve seen that services are readily available at the town center but the residents chose not to avail because of the distance and lack of public transportation,” says Tonyang.

It all started from a simple act of service

Wanting to address this issue, DSWD employees deployed in the municipality coordinated with the Municipal Local Government Unit of Paracelis to conduct an outreach program in the barangay. MLGU Paracelis warmly accepted the initiative and through Municipal Administrator Dr. Marcus Ayangwa, some of their personnel were mobilized.

“Dr. Marcus Ayangwa was glad about the proposed activity so he responded positively and immediately for our request to conduct an outreach program,” Tonyang enthused.

Thus, on December 2016, during a family development session, the first outreach program was conducted in Barangay Anonat during the Family Development Session (FDS) spearheaded by DSWD Pantawid Pamilya.

“After our FDS on Financial Literacy, an information campaign of the different services of the LGU followed,” Tonyang continued.
As a highlight of the outreach activity, a medical and dental services was provided by the Rural Health Unit wherein around 140 families who availed of the services.

Tonyang remembers that residents of the barangay cannot stop expressing their gratitude for the services brought in their community. He said that most of the residents could not even remember the last time they visited a doctor.

Dr. Marcus Ayangwa was also elated on the success of the activity. He wished that other LGU employees can participate in such activities to see the actual situation in the community and to practice true public service.

With the good evaluation of the outreach, MLGU Paracelis together with DSWD staff launched efforts to replicate the activity in other areas of the municipality.

Spreading the seeds of service

After a month, their efforts paid off as another outreach activity was conducted in Barangay Bunot wherein around 80 families availed of the services. “Hearing the feedback of the residents of Barangay Anonat, we organized another activity in Bunot,” Tonyang said.
Another outreach followed in four (4) sitios of Barangay Buringal on February 2017. This time, the MSWDO, PNP, RHU, Municipal Civil Registrar, Cooperative Office, CENRO and MENRO, Office of Fisheries and Agricultural Services, Executive Office and Legislative Office joined the outreach and oriented the community about their functions and services.

The outreach also offered on-the-spot NSO Birth Certificate application and laboratory services such as complete blood test and urinalysis.

“The medical and dental services addressed the compliance of Pantawid Pamilya partner beneficiaries to have their check-up once in every 6 months,” Tonyang explained.

He added that while at the communities, LGU officials and employees updated their data on the profile of the barangay.

Sealing it through legislation

“During those outreaches, LGU Officials and employees had a glimpse of the actual situation in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas,” Tonyang recalled.

The outreaches also gave them insight that this is true public service. Thus, through the leadership of MSWDO Emma Tamang, she suggested to the Sangguniang Bayan that the outreach activity should be regularized.

Municipal Coordinator for Japan Social Development Fund Rey Rimas together with Pantawid Pamilya PDO Joanne Gullunan then drafted a resolution for the regular conduct of the activity. The resolution was deliberated by the Sangguniang Bayan and was finally approved on April 24, 2017.

With the approval of the resolution, provision of services to the GIDA are now conducted bi-monthly. LGU Paracelis are also constantly devising various strategies to allot funding for the activities.

Remaining true to their commitment to bring their services to the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, the municipality conducted outreaches in Sitio Gasilang in Barangay Bantay, Barangay Bacarri, Barangay Palitud. #DSWD-CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, Jasmin Kiaso

Jonathan and his fellow graduates celebrate as they mark the end of their training and the beginning of their journey equipped with more skills.

“Kung gusto nating umangat ang antas ng ating pamumuhay, dapat tayong magsikap hindi iyong palaging nakalubog sa lupa na hindi alam kung kalian aahon” (If we want to improve the quality of our lives, we should know when to rise)”, 21 year-old Jonathan Gonzales positively shared.

It was in the afternoon on April 6, 2018 when Jonathan received his NC II certificate for Mechatronics servicing and Manufacturing Technology from the National College of Science and Technology-Institute of Industrial reseach and Training (NCST-IRRT), Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Early Labor

Living in Pudtol is never easy for Jonathan whose family do not own any agricultural land and are dependent on farming and daily labor as their source of livelihood.

“Gapu ta awan iti sarili me nga daga a matalon nga pangalaan iti kanen me, nagrugi ak napan nakilako iti tinapay ken balut idi kaubing ko (Since my family doesnot own a farm, we experienced hardship forcing me to work as a bread and “balut” vendor at a young age)”, Jonathan shared.

At an early age, Jonathan Gonzales was separated from his biological family forcing him to live with his aunt. Jonathan’s mother died when he was still an infant. His aunt who resides in Pudtol, Apayao then took care of him whom he considers as his second mother.

“Dahil sa hirap ng buhay namin,  highschool lang ang natapos ko dahil wala na kasi kaming perang gagamitin sa pag-aaral ko. Noong tumigil ako sa pag-aaral, naghanap ako ng trabaho at nakuha naman akong attendant ng isang water refilling station sa amin, kung minsan naman nakikiarawan ako o kaya ay tumatangap ng dalawa o tatlong trabaho para mas malaki ang ma-uuwi kung sahod (Because of poverty, I was just able to finish highschool due to financial constrains for further education. When I graduated from highschool, I worked as an attendant of a water refilling station in our place, at times I accept two or three daily labors to get a higher income)”, Jonathan added.

Take Opportunities Seriously

In December 2016, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) implemented a skills training on Mechatronics Servicing NCII and Certificate in Manufacturing Technology NCII, an opportunity provided to children of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Pantawid Pamilya) households in Apayao for viable employability or alternative source of income.

Since their family is a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang since 2012, Jonathan qualified to be a participant of the Skills Training modality of SLP. This is a modality under SLP’s Employment Facilitation (EF) track that aims to provide assistance to qualified participants seeking employment through pre-employment guidance and orientation, technical-vocational and soft skills training, as well as job referrals or placement, among others.

With Endeavour

Jonathan took the opportunity and went to National College of Science and Technology-Institute of Industrial research and Training (NCST-IRRT), he and fellow beneficiaries underwent 3-months skills training and 1-year On the Job Training (OJT).

Acknowledging the importance of this opportunity, Jonathan and fellow participants from Apayao did their best during the training. Their efforts and sacrifices were recognized as they received a Setsuko Miyata-Gan (Model Trainee) Award. During the ceremony they were given certificate and medal. Above these recognitions, Jonathan, now, reaps the fruit of his labor.

“Nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataon na makakuha ng magandang trabaho, ang aking sahod ay pinapadala ko sa aking ina na siyang ginagamit nila sa araw-araw na gastusin. Dahil nakapasok na ako sa kompanya pinagbubutihan ko ang aking trabaho, pag nakaipon ako, itutuloy ko ang aking pag-aaral para makakuha ng diploma (I had the opportunity to get a good job,I am sending a part of my salary to my mother which they use for everyday expenses. Since I am now absorbed in the company, I will continue my study to get a Diploma)”, Jonathan said.

Remembering his hardship and his family, Jonathan made a promise to himself that someday through his continuous endeavours, he will soon receive a diploma and be regularized at work. He wants to renovate their house and provide a livelihood for his aunt.#DSWD-CAR Babble Mae Gorio and Katrina Apayyo

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) here would like to inform the public on the alleged robbery hold-up in Brgy. Jolungan, Kiangan, Ifugao on 21 May 2018 which involves Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program funds.

The victims of the alleged incident are personnel of the Lagawe Multi-Purpose Development Cooperative (LMDC), a conduit of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) which is the Department’s partner in the release of Pantawid Pamilya cash grants.

The money taken amounts to PhP 2.7 M which is supposed to cover the cash grants for the 1,296 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries of Tinoc, Ifugao.

As of 23 May 2018, the LBP, as the one responsible for the grant release, assured DSWD that pay-out will be rescheduled once the Local Government Unit and the Philippine National Police (PNP) clear the area.

Meanwhile, DSWD-CAR will continue its close coordination with the PNP and the LBP until the resolution of this incident.

The DSWD-CAR apologizes for the inconveniences that the incident may cause. Updates on the release of grants will be provided once report or information is provided by the LBP. ###