1,753 poor families in Cebu City get cash aid

CEBU, Philippines -  Over 1,700 poorest of the poor residents in 13 Cebu City barangays have received conditional cash assistance from the national government through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

The 1,753 beneficiaries are from Barangays Lorega, Carreta, Mobolo. Bario Luz, Cambinocot, Ermita, Busay, Sambag 2, Basak San Nicolas, Basak Pardo, Bulacao, Suba and Pasil.

These are the barangays identified as 4Ps areas in addition to the top 10 poorest barangays in Cebu City whose identified beneficiaries have started receiving cash grants since 2009.

The first batch of beneficiaries comprise of 2,602 families from T. Padilla, Tejero, Kalunasan, Inayawan, Mambaling, Duljo Fatima, Sawang Calero, Sudlon I, Sudlon II and Tagba-o.

The additional 1,753 families bring the number of beneficiaries in Cebu City to a total of 4,355.

Each family receives a conditional cash grant amounting to P800 to P1,400 per month depending on the number of children who qualified in the family.

Each family is given P500 per month for health and nutritional expenses and P300 per child per month for one school year for the educational expenses. Thus, a family with three qualified children will receive P1,400 per month.

DSWD-7 Director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre reminded the beneficiaries to comply with the conditions of the program to continue receiving assistance from the government.

What is so good about the program, she said, is that it is not a dole out because beneficiaries were given conditions that they have to comply.

The conditions include pre and post natal care for pregnant women plus they shall be attended to by a skilled birth attendant during child birth. Parents or guardians must also attend family planning sessions, mothers’ classes and parent effectiveness seminars.

Children up to five years old must receive regular preventive health check ups and vaccines. Those who have reached the age of five must attend day care pre-school classes at least 85 percent of the time. Children aging six to 14 years old must enroll in elementary and high school and attend classes at least 85 percent of the time.

Over the last three years, Macapobre said that they have been receiving positive feedbacks from health personnel, teachers and social workers.

“Our teachers are reporting to us that classrooms are always full, no more unnecessary absences and the students are already able to submit projects. Attendance are also sustained until the end of the school year which means lesser drop out rate,” Macapobre said.

“In terms of health care, daghan na ang mu-patronize sa atong mga health centers. And the people are more empowered now because they are now demanding services that they know they ought to be receiving from the local government unit,” she added.

DSWD-7 has only recorded about 20 families that have been disqualified from the programs for failure to comply with the conditions. Some of which also transferred to non-4Ps areas. (FREEMAN)