The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office V Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) announced that there is a delay release of cash grants to its beneficiaries.

This is because the Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) has yet to secure the permission from the Commission on Election (COMELEC) to procure conduits during election ban. Conduits are responsible for the conduct of over the counter 4Ps pay-out.

According to DSWD Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia, the delay of cash grants will be for two months which starts from December 2018 to January 2019.

“The cash grants will be released on June 2019 as announced by LBP,” he said.

These cash grants are provided to 4Ps poor families to improve the health, nutrition, and the education of their children aged 0-18.

Under the health grant, a beneficiary family receives P500 per month or a total of P6,000 per year. For the educational grant, a beneficiary family whose children are in elementary receive P300 every month, per child. Also, a family with high school students receive a monthly grant of P500 per child.  A maximum of three children are covered in every family under the program.

In addition, an amount of P600.00 per month is provided to a beneficiary family for their rice subsidy.

These cash grants are distributed to household beneficiaries every after two months through LBP cash cards– or through alternate payment schemes such as rural bank transactions through the LBP identified conduits.

Dir. Garcia made emphasis that the delay release of cash grants affects only those household beneficiaries whose mode of payment are through over-the-counter or those being paid through conduits.

He also reminded the 4Ps beneficiaries that they should comply with the program’s conditions: attending the monthly family development session; Children beneficiaries should attend or should reach 85% attendance in their classes and avail themselves of medical check-up and vaccines in health centers.

“We know these grants are needed by the beneficiaries to augment to their daily living. That is why the Department is working hard to ensure that the target household beneficiaries and individuals will receive their grants,” he said.

At present, a total of 363,870 households are beneficiaries of the Program.

For further queries, beneficiaries may reach their respective DSWD Municipal or City links assigned in their area or go to the nearest DSWD Office or send a text message to the Pantawid Pamilya’s grievance hotline at 0918-912-2813.***GANLindio