The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) lauded the signing into law of Republic Act 11310 institutionalizing the government’s flagship poverty reduction program known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps.

4Ps is an investment in human capital which seeks to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by focusing on education and health of the beneficiaries. It provides conditional cash transfer to poor households around the country, It is being implemented by DSWD, in partnership with other government agencies, such as the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), and Commission on Higher Education (CHED), among others.

DSWD emphasized that the signing of the law is the realization of the long time clamor of beneficiaries to make the program regular and permanent.  It can be recalled that beneficiaries have continuously expressed apprehensions that the benefits they are receiving from 4Ps might be stopped if the program will not be institutionalized.  It is also important to mention that they played a role in achieving this feat by lobbying for the institutionalization of the program.

The Department added that with RA 11310, the continuity and sustainability of the program can be assured. The law makes the program more robust by prioritizing farmers and fisher folks, strengthening livelihood and employment opportunities for beneficiaries, ensuring civil society organizations’ seats in the advising councils, and providing automatic coverage to Philhealth.

The Department also stated that the law will further boost its goal of helping poor families achieve a better quality of life, thereby, contributing to the reduction of poverty incidence to 14 percent by 2022, as set by the present administration.

4Ps milestones

Since its inception in 2008, 4Ps has achieved several milestones in the areas of poverty reduction, health, and education.

The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), in its launch of the 2015 Official Poverty Statistics said, “One of the major factors in this improvement of poverty reduction is the increased budget in government’s social development programs, which significantly augmented the income of the poorest households… The regularity of the cash transfer sustained for three years for many CCT beneficiaries has accorded them some resiliency to weather certain shocks.  The program also induced more economic activity in the poor barangays given the presence of a cash economy.  These conditions may have also encouraged a number of them to diversify their livelihood sources.”

Moreover, in its 2017 Socio-Economic Report, NEDA stated that, “By far, the most comprehensive program to address […] vulnerability is the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).  This program needs to be sustained and even enhanced.”

Furthermore, the World Bank in its 2018 assessment of poverty in the Philippines (Making Growth Work for the Poor) reported that “transfers from government social programs [CCT] contributed about 25 percent of the [reduction in poverty incidence between 2006 and 2015.”]

Likewise, impact evaluations on the program done and completed in 2012 and 2014 showed that the program can break the intergenerational cycle of poverty, helping poor families escape the poverty trap of being poor because they have no decent jobs or undereducated and sickly.

Based on the two impact studies, the program had positive effects on education and health of children and pregnant women.

The studies showed that program beneficiaries have higher enrolment and attendance rates and lower drop-outs as compared to non-beneficiaries.

As regards health, children-beneficiaries have increased availment of basic health services and reduced severe stunting especially to children from 6 months to 3 years old.

The impact studies also showed that more pregnant women availed of maternal health services and an increased delivery in accredited birthing facilities, as compared to those who are not covered by the program.

Meanwhile, since 2015, the program has paved the way for almost 1 million children-beneficiaries to compete high school and more than 30,000 to graduate from college.

As of March 31, 2019, the program covers 41,552 barangays in all 145 cities and 1,483 municipalities in 80 provinces nationwide with 4.18 million active households.***Social Marketing Service

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Joseph Tobias, 24, former grantee of Expanded Student Grant-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA) now a Professor in Catanduanes State University.

Unlike any other students who have their parents support during college years, Joseph Tobias, 24, has to work on his own having left by his parents at an early age.

Joseph and eight of his siblings were left by their parents at an early age. He was 16 years old when his father died due to heart attack and two years after his mother died due to congestive heart failure.

Four of his elder siblings were forced to stop education to work. While Joseph committed a promise to finish until college.

“Sabi ko ayoko mahinto sa pag-aaral, humingi ako ng tulong sa mga kapatid ko. Sinabi ko sakanila na pag-nakapagtapos ako, sila naman ang papag-aralin ko, [I told them I do not want to stop my studies, I asked help from them and told them that after I finished college I will send them to school],” he said.

During high school until college years, it was through the remittances of his elder siblings that he was able to finance his studies and through vending “kakanin” native foods made by his eldest sister–Ma. Josalie, 30.

According to him, there was a time that it was close to impossible that he would graduate in college.

“Mahirap na walang magulang na masasandalan. Ako kasama ng mga maliliit ko na kapatid ay kailangan na gumising ng 4:00AM para magbenta ng kakanin at sinisikap namin maubos iyon para makatulong sa kapatid ko, para may makain kami at makapasok sa paaralan, [It was hard for us having no parents that we could lean on to. I and my younger siblings have to wake up as early as 4:00AM to sell kakanin to our neighbors. Oftentimes, we came late in school because we wanted to sell as much as we can to help my sister earn for us to have food on the table, and be able to go to school],” he said.

However, after a year in college, Joseph has to stop and work as a security guard in Metro Manila to support his younger siblings education and be able to save money to continue his college studies.

“Yung sahod ng mga kapatid ko ay kaunti lang. Tama lang sa pagbili ng pagkain, tuition fee ng mga kapatid ko sa elementary at high school at sa school projects nila. Gusto ko silang tulungan kaya yung sahod ko napupunta sa kanila at nagtatabi lang ako sa pangaraw-araw ko na gastos, [My siblings income were very minimal. It is only sufficient to buy our food, tuition fee of my younger siblings in high school and elementary and school projects. I wanted to help them so all of my salary were sent to them and I only save a few for my daily expenses],” he stated.

But, his hopes of earning a degree still remained. Joseph save his last earning and went back to his hometown in Barangay Comagaycay, San Andres, Catanduanes. He continued his studies in Catanduanes State University with a course of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture.

To continue and be able to finance his education, he was helped by one of the faculty members providing him a small sleeping quarter in school to save money from commuting from home. He also asked for a part-time job as a janitor where he used to wake up 4:00 AM to clean the school’s comfort rooms, hallways, and classrooms.

“Yung panahon na iyon, masasabi ko na maswerte ako at may mga tumutulong sa akin, [That time, I can say I am still lucky that people helped me],” he said.

It was not an easy road for Joseph having to work before going to class, and thinking where to get money for his school projects.  Until, on his third year, he was lucky to become a grantee of Expanded Student Grant-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA) being implemented by Commission on Higher Education in partnership with Department of Social Welfare and Development Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

Under the program, a student-grantee is entitled to a maximum grant of P60,000 per school year or P30,000 per semester for tuition and other school fees, textbooks or other learning materials, and stipend.

He said, being a grantee gave him strength and hope to pursue and get the degree he wanted. “Sobrang nakatulong iyon sa aming pamilya. Ang ginawa ko, nagtatabi ako para mabigyan ng pangklase mga kapatid ko. Tapos ang tuition fee ko secure na. Nung nagthesis ako malaki ang naitulong sa akin, [It’s a huge help to my family. What I did, I allocate some for the studies of my siblings. My tuition fee was secured. When we are doing our thesis, it is a big help],” he said.

According to Joseph, when he finally made it through the graduation, he could not stop crying because all that he had gone through was all worth it. He graduated with Academic Distinction and the degree he dreamt off.”Umiiyak pa rin ako hanggang ngayon pagna-aalala ko nung nasa stage ako para kunin ang diploma ko. Ang diploma ko ay para sa mga kapatid ko na nariyan para sa akin, sa mga magulang ko at sa lahat ng tumulong sa aming pamilya, [I am still crying until now every time I recalled the moment I was in the stage to get my diploma. My diploma is for my siblings who have been there for me, for my parents and to everyone who lends help to our family],” he said in teary eyes.

At present, Joseph is currently employed as a faculty teacher in the same school, working and earning to support his siblings.

He is also fulfilling his promise to his siblings providing support for their college education and the rest to continue to enter school.

“Ako ang unang nagkakapagtapos sa pamilya o sa aming clan. Pangarap namin na magkakapatid na makapagtapos kami lahat at balang araw ay ma-aabot namin ang pangarap ng aming mga magulang–na makapagtapos kami, may magandang trabaho, magkaroon ng maganda at masayang pamilya, [I am the first to graduate in college in our family or in our clan. We all dreamt to finish our education and in the future and be able to achieve the dream of our parents–to finish our education, to have a good job and to have a beautiful and happy family],” he said.

He also left a message to people who are going through the same situation as

him saying that “If we were able to make it, surely you can as well. As my parents usually said to us, those people who have a good education are those who have a better future].”***GLindio,4Ps-Information Officer

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Children are happy to walk through the cable bridge, a DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS sub-project, instead of crossing the river using a small boat at Barangay Sipaco, Lagonoy, Camarines Sur.

Out of a million impossibilities, there is always one way that gives humans the will to stand strong amidst all problems being faced. This is what the community of Barangay Sipaco in Lagonoy, Camarines Sur are firmed of.

To reach Barangay Sipaco, people must travel for two (2) hours from Naga City to Goa, another town adjacent to Lagonoy. They will take a two-hour boat ride from Tamban port, 28 kilometers away from Goa’s población,

The journey is not easy as travelers deal with strong currents especially in the afternoon.

Accessibility has been noted as one of the major problems of the community making it difficult to haul products and deliver services from the central business district.

According to Ulysses Buela, 43, a community volunteer of Barangay Sipaco, students are very prone to danger who cross the river to attend classes. There were reported cases of drowning due to unforeseen flooding.

Seeing this as a need to settle, the community decided to construct a cable-bridge sub-project through the Department of Social Welfare and Development Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS).

Even Erson Barera, 33, Community Empowerment Facilitator (CEF) of DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS shared his dreadful experience while traveling from Barangay Sipaco to Tamban Port.

“Biglang nagkaroon ng sama ng panahon noon sa sobrang alon akala namin hindi na kami makakadaong kaya linabas ko ang rosary kaya patuloy kaming nagdarasal hanggang makarating kami sa Tamban (Due to unexpected bad weather, the waves are too strong. We thought we won’t be able to make it, so I get my rosary and keep on praying until we reach the Tamban port),” Barera recounted.

MISCONCEPTIONS

Just like the big waves of the ocean, the Sipaco community also has been washed away with issues in the implementation of the sub-project.

“Nagkaroon ng isyu sa mga responsibilidad ng mga community volunteers at barangay dahil sa hindi naiitindihan nila ang grassroots participation (We have an issue on the responsibilities of community volunteers and the barangay in implementing the cable bridge sub-project since they don’t fully understand the grassroots participation of the program),” Buela said.

To sort out the issue of misconception between the barangay and community volunteers, the community conducted a barangay assembly where the technical staff of DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS explained thoroughly the features of the program.

“Nagkaliwanagan ang bawat panig sa mga responsibilidad ng community volunteers at barangay sa proyekto (Both sides have fully understood the responsibilities on the sub-project implementation),” Barrera also explained.

BRIDGE TO GAIETY

 Other than the sub-project, the community gained more than what they have thought such as knowledge, organizational management and unforgettable experience.

“Dahil sa proyektong ito, naka-survive ang mga tao dito dahil makakatawid na ang mga estudyante ng ligtas at mas mapapadali din ang hanapbuhay namin (Due to this project, we have survived because the students can cross safely and our livelihood will be also easier),” Buela happily stated.

“Mas napalakas pa ang samahan namin sa komunidad at nag-enjoy sila sa pagiging volunteers dahil sa marami silang natutunan (Our bond together became stronger and they [residents] enjoyed as community volunteers because they’ve learned a lot),” the volunteer added.

Despite the life-threatening experience, Barera sees his work as a path to help more communities.

“Para sa community, gagawin mo talaga para makatulong ka, isusugal mo talaga ang inyong sarili anuman ang kalagayan sa gitna ng dagat (For the community, you will really do your best to the point, you have to gamble with your life whatever happens in the middle of the sea),” the facilitator said. /ramsertan/

About DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS

Camarines Sur has implemented DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS in 34 municipalities with a total implementation grant of Php 724,329,777.44 and local counterpart contribution of Php 35,285,663.94 from barangay and municipal local government units (LGUs) to fund community-managed sub-projects.

DSWD had allocated Lagonoy with Php 70,314,730.00 and local counterpart contribution of Php 5,977,970.00.

The construction of the cable bridge was completed last December 13, 2018 with a total project cost of Php 9,604,503.75 that will benefit 150 households.

For more details about DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS, follow this link:

http://ncddp.dswd.gov.ph/site/faqs

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Legazpi City—The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Bicol spearheaded a capacity building activity on Gender Statistics Collection and Identification of Gender Issues in the Workplace in Legazpi City last May 15-16, 2019.

“Aside from client-focused interventions, DSWD Bicol would like to improve more on implementing interventions for our workers and the organization,” DSWD Regional Director Arnel Garcia said.

Also, the training would like to ensure and sustain gender mainstreaming activities in DSWD.

The 26 members of the DSWD Bicol’s Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Point System underwent a two-day training with Atty. Arlene Alangco, regional director of Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Bicol.

For the first day, she discussed Basic Human Rights Concept, CHR powers and functions, Magna Carta of Women, Anti-Sexual Harassment Act and Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act. On the second day, she talked about Gender Mainstreaming, GAD FPS, gender data disaggregation, workplace issues and the roles of Committee on Decorum and Investigation of sexual harassment

Thus, participants are expected to establish gender statistics and identify gender issues in the workplace to be included in the 2020 GAD Plan and Budget (GPB).

Last 2018, the DSWD Bicol spent P210 million for GAD-related programs and activities. For the same year, DSWD Bicol served 166 women in difficult circumstances and 101 children in need of special protection by providing counselling services, referral for legal, medical, and psychological assistance and helping clients serve barangay/temporary protection order file appropriate charges to perpetrators.

GAD FPS is a group that in DSWD that ensures gender mainstreaming and implement Magna Carta for Women at DSWD Bicol.

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In line with the celebration of Labor Day, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) in partnership with Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region V launched “SIBOL” campaign last May 1, 2019.

The activity highlighted the photo exhibit and selling of locally made products by SLP program participants and introducing to the general public the SLP program and services.

Aileen Mae B. Barcela, Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Officer (RMEO) of SLP calls for the support in promoting and patronizing the SLP program participant’s product and services.

SLP is a community-based capacity building program that aims to improve the socioeconomic condition of the participants. It facilitates interventions that expand the livelihood asset base of the participants (human, social, physical, natural, and financial capital) so they may either have gainful employment or successfully manage a microenterprise.

SLP-Sibol Campaign aligns its communication strategy to the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF) and focuses on affirming the growth of SLP participant’s capabilities and bridging livelihood opportunities towards inclusive economic development.

Furthermore, SIBOL stands for “Solidarity and Inclusivity in Bridging Opportunities for Livelihoods”, defines the purpose or rallying call for a common goal “Building capabilities, Bridging opportunities, Boosting inclusive growth”.#PRNPOJ05/05/2019

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Community volunteers and partners attended the 1st Community-Driven Development (CDD) Congress and Municipal Bayani Ka! Awards last May 7, 2019

The municipality of Mandaon, Masbate spearheaded the 1^st Community-Driven Development (CDD) Congress and Municipal Bayani Ka! Awards last May 7, 2019 at the Municipal Covered Court.

The first Municipal Bayani Ka! Awards was conducted in 2016 which was by the Local Government Unit (LGU) Bato in Catanduanes in collaboration with the Area Coordinating Team (ACT) but there was no CDD Congress at that time.

These activities were adopted from the Department of Social Welfare and Development Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services’ (DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS’) CDD Congress and Bayani Ka! Awards which are now on its second and fifth year, respectively.

The CDD Congress which started in 2017 was designed to discuss the experiences and “bayanihan” stories of community volunteers and stakeholders of DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS implementation.

CDD is a globally recognized strategy in which residents were the ones who identify their specific needs in the community, decide a possible intervention and implement the applicable solution.

While the Bayani Ka! Awards was launched in 2014 to recognize the exemplary communities and partners that engaged in DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS and whose efforts remarkably furthered the compassionate collective action in their respective municipalities.

According to Alberto Jazul III of Municipal Coordinating Team, the LGU Mandaon funded Php200,000.00 to conduct the two (2) activities.

Here is the list of municipal awardees:

Thematic Areas – This category was anchored on DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS’ social and environmental safeguards. It is also to recognize different sectors who contributed to the program implementation.

The nominees were evaluated based on Bayani Ka! Awards’ criteria particularly on their vision (16%), action (20%), persuasion (16%), ability (16%), integrity and inspiration (16%) and advocacy (16%) to determine the municipal winners for each sub-category.

Program Implementation – This category was anchored on the Community Empowerment Activity Cycle (CEAC), a platform used by DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS to engage communities in a facilitated process of community analysis, planning, project implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

The nominations were judged according to their performance on the program implementation and attainment of program standards.

• Best Barangay Secretary – Jerry A. Delos Reyes of Barangay Bugtong
• Best Barangay Treasurer – Restituta M. Basas of Barangay Poblacion
• Best Procurement Team – Barangay Mabato Bato and Barangay Nailaban
• Best Project Implementation Team – Barangay Nailaban
• Best Audit and Inventory Team – Barangay Nanipsan
• Best Barangay Representation Team – Barangay Poblacion
• Best Operation and Maintenance Association – LAPO of Barangay Lantangan
• Best Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee (BSPMC) – BSPMC of Barangay Pulo Dacu
• Best BSPMC Chairperson – Edward Tutanes of Barangay Tumalaytay
• Most Supportive Barangay in DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS implementation – Barangay Pulo Dacu, Barangay Ayat and Barangay Bat-ongan
• Barangays with most active participation during Barangay Assemblies Cycle 1 to Cycle 3 – Barangay Nanipsan and Barangay Centro

During the awarding, Edward Tutanes, a community volunteer of Barangay Tumalaytay who was hailed as Best Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee (BSPMC) Chairperson shared the importance of constant communication in managing people to resolve such issues that may arise in implementing their community project.

“Volunteerism doesn’t end in just one project in order to have a productive community,” he added.

The BSPMC is the overall management of the community project who oversees the sub-project implementation, monitoring, maintenance and sustainability after the completion of the project.

On the other hand, the Regional CDD Congress and Bayani Ka! Awards will be conducted in Legazpi City on the second week of June 2019.

Kalahi-CIDSS is a poverty alleviation program implemented by DSWD designed to empower citizens through honing their capacities in analyzing their local situation, identify community needs and implement small scale community projects in collaboration with their LGUs. /ramsertan/

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Legazpi City- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Bicol through the Listahanan is now preparing for the 3rd round of household assessment to be conducted in July-December of this year.

“With this, we can check the progress in the lives of the previously identified poor and determine a new set of poor households who will be prioritized as recipients of government’s programs,” DSWD Bicol Regional Director Arnel Garcia said.

Bicol region ranked fifth among the 17 regions nationwide with the highest targets for assessment which will cover 1,143,846 households regionwide. Having a huge target, the agency needs to engage 3,670 workers. This comprises 2,383 Enumerators, 477 Area Supervisors, 95 Area Coordinators, 477 Encoders, and 238 Verifiers.

The department advise all jobseekers to prepare their application letters and resumes for submission to the agency as soon as the authority to hire has been approved and details of the vacancies have been posted in DSWD Facebook page and other information bulletins.

Meanwhile, Garcia encouraged the public to participate in the household assessment to be conducted this year. The public must be aware and has close coordination with the barangay officials for the schedule of assessment.

“The participation of the community is very essential, that’s why we wanted them to get involve to ensure that no poor households should be left behind,” Garcia explained.

The first Listahanan database was completed in 2011 wherein 461,242 households were identified as poor in the Bicol region. The Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) has been its main user.

In 2015, the DSWD has identified 372,451 poor households out of the 1,082,582 households assessed in the region. From this, beneficiaries were identified for the department’s Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT), a cash aid given to the poorest of the poor in effect from the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.

Under Executive Order 867, all national government agencies (NGAs) are mandated to use the Listahanan data for their programs and services to the poor.Likewise, the DSWD should update the data every four years.

Other national government agencies such as Philhealth, Department of Health (DOH), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), among others, use the Listahanan data for their poverty reduction programs.

Listahanan is an information management system that identifies who and where the poor are. The list of poor makes available to national government agencies (NGAs) and other social protection stakeholders which serves as the basis in identifying beneficiaries of their programs and services thus allows them to focus resources to those who need assistance the most.##

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The Department of Social Welfare and Development Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS) funded 33 sub-projects in five (5) municipalities of Bicol for fourth cycle implementation with a grant allocation of Php 63,791,550.00.

The sub-projects refer to the community projects generated through DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS planning process using the Community Empowerment Activity Cycle (CEAC). The partner barangays designed, implemented and maintained these projects to respond needs or problems identified during the Participatory Situation Analysis (PSA).

The table below shows the breakdown of sub-projects funded by the program according to municipality with its corresponding grant allocation.

These community projects were selected during the Municipal Inter-Barangay Forum – Participatory Resource Allocation (MIBF-PRA), where interventions or projects are ranked based on the criteria agreed by community volunteers representing each barangay.

On the other hand, the program will also fund 38 as-built community projects in 18 municipalities amounting to Php 19,496,404.84. /ramsertan/

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