Persons with Disability (PWD’s) participates the NDPR week celebration at Sagrada Familia in Bonot, Legazpi City.

July 17-23 of every year marks the commemoration of the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week. This aims primarily to stimulate public awareness on the issues and problems of disability, thereby encouraging every citizen of the country to take active in the upliftment of the economic and social conditions of the Persons with Disability (PWD’s)in our society.

DSWD Director Arnel Garcia said that the theme “Building on Inclusive and Non-Handicapping Environment for Persons with Disabilities” promotes the principle and concepts relevant to disability inclusive development and also extends to advocate for the mainstreaming of disability agenda in all government agencies, non-government organizations, civil society and the public in general.

Spearheaded by the Regional Council on Disability Affairs(RCDA), the NDPR week celebration was kicked-off by an econometrical celebration and an opening program with 307 participants from various GO’s, NGO’s, SPED students, teachers and member agencies of the RCOA.

A Legal Aid Clinic was also organized which serves as venue for the PWD’s and other members of the community to raise questions, issues and complains relative to the implementation of laws pertaining to persons with disability.

Sponsored by DOLE Bicol was the conduct of Capacity Building Enhancement Seminar for Differently Able Group and Coordinators.

The weeklong celebration was culminated by the conduct of Access Audit on the facilities of the Legazpi City terminal and posting of accessibility stickers at the public utility vehicles. This was done by the members of the RCDA.

The culmination of the week’s celebration is July 23, the birth date of Apolinario Mabini,” the Sublime Paralytic” whose bravery and heroic acts during the Philippine Revolution of 1896 has greatly influenced his compatriots in fighting against the Spanish colonization.  ###eejerusalem

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The DSWD V project team representing the local government of Pilar, Sorosgon received a national recognition for the construction of a day care facility funded by Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) which was awarded in Hotel La Breza, Quezon City last July 25, 2013.

Pilar was acknowledged for their best practice on supervision and quality control for the completion of the day care center in the coastal community of Bantayan in a span of 50 days ensuring quality based on the standards.

Though Bantayan was a first-timer in implementing a community-managed subproject, the convergent efforts of the volunteers, barangays council, local government of Pilar and DSWD technical staff filled in the gaps by establishing strong coordination among them.

To ensure quality, the volunteers and the barangay council were trained on procurement and community financial management system. Moreover, the barangay council members took turns in actual monitoring, the punong barangay came regularly that caused the workers to become committed in completing the day care center on time.

The construction of the day care center started on January 26 and finished on March 17, 2013 so that they will be able to use the facility when school opens in June. The old day care center was a makeshift classroom which is a DepEd property located within the elementary school. It was overcrowded wherein 42 day care pupils attend the morning session while there are 39 pupils in the afternoon.

AusAID provides grants for the construction of classrooms, school buildings and day care centers which is considered as the supply side of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) for non-prioritized communities who previously implemented the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) project. AusAID and Kalahi-CIDSS is anchored on the community-driven development (CDD) strategy wherein local communities are involved in the design and implementation of development projects to address the issues of poverty.

AusAID provided a grant of Php654,324 plus a local counterpart contribution of 115,469.00 (in-kind/cash) from the municipality and community for the construction of the day care center in Bantayan.###jmarbella

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“We only have the best interest and welfare of our beneficiaries in mind when we decide how to conduct payouts.” This was the statement of Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reacting to a report allegedly claiming that there were beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program who were not able to receive their cash grants during the scheduled pay-out on June 11, 2013 in Tinambac, Camarines Sur.

According to Secretary Soliman, “We know that the grant is a big help in augmenting the country’s poor families’ daily needs and that is why we make sure that they receive their grants in the easiest and most economical way.”

Secretary Soliman added that out of the 44 barangays reported, only barangay Tambang of Tinambac was not able to receive their grants because of the adjustments being made in the mode of payment.

The Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) is the only authorized agency to disburse cash grants to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya. To ensure that beneficiaries receive their grants promptly and not spend so much for their transportation, the LBP has authorized money-transfer agents such as M Lhuilhier, G-Cash Remit, Philippine Postal Corporation, and other conduits such as rural banks and cooperatives to deliver the grants to the beneficiaries.

Arnel Garcia, Regional Director of DSWD Field Office 5 said that the LBP has already released a total of P6,979,200.00 for the 4,444 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamillya in Tinambac, Camarines Sur. He also added that the adjustments in the mode of payment are being fast tracked so that the beneficiaries will receive their grants.

The Pantawid Pamilya maximum grant package per household amounts to P1,400 a month, where P300 is paid for every child who complies with the 85% required school attendance for the month, which can be given to a maximum of three children per household. Additionally, the household will also be entitled to P500 per month for complying with health and nutrition conditions. The amount of the grant is based on the number of children per household and compliance to program conditions.

To date, Pantawid Pamilya is being implemented in all 17 Regions covering 79 Provinces, 143 cities, 1,484 Municipalities and 40,978 barangays. There are 3,927,917 households registered as program beneficiaries as of 26 June 2013. ###(SMU, 29 July 2013)

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The National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development is set to conduct the second round of household assessment this semester. The agency will be assessing roughly 16 million poor households across the country.

With the target of 1,087,720 households to be assessed, the DSWD Field Office 5 needs to hire 3,131 field workers to be deployed region wide.

The department will now be accepting applicants for the following positions under contract of service and job order and this includes 92 Area Coordinators, 453 Area Supervisors, 320 Encoders, and 2266 Enumerators.

Interested applicants may now submit their resume and application letter addressed to: Director Arnel B. Garcia, CESO III, DSWD 5, PBN-Buraguis, Legazpi City or submit it to the nearest Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) offices in the province.

For details, applicants may inquire from Personnel Section at tel.no.480-0381 or email it to fo5@dswd.gov.ph.

The National Household Targeting for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) is the country’s information management that identifies who and where the poor are. The Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the DSWD has been the main user of the targeting system and other national government agencies such as Department of Health (DOH) and Philhealth###crbarrameda

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Pantawid Pamilya? “Hulog ng langit po! A blessing to the family” exclaimed Ma. Antonia when asked to comment about the program.

A Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary of Barangay Bolod, San Pascual, Masbate, Ma. Antonia or Maryann to her family and friends is 35 years old and a mother of four siblings ( three girls and one boy).She got married an early age the reason why she was not able to fulfill her dreams of becoming a teacher. Life was difficult but we have to move on, shared Mary Ann. The family’s source of living was derived from baking and selling “pandesal” and deliver it daily  to the nearby houses. They earn at least 350.00 a day but this could have been increased if they are able to meet the demands of their costumers in the nearby sitios. The problem is mobility and the accessibility. The amount that the family get daily is barely enough to support the needs of the family.

Her concern is her children—what would become of them in the future? The only thing that kept her on the steadfast struggle in life was her strong belief in God.

A stroke of circumstance change the Padilla’s lives when they were identified as among the 211 potential Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary in Barangay Bolod. Maryann never had the slightest expectation that they would be included in the program. This opportunity turned in to their miserable condition into a happy and vibrant state.

It was in February,2009 when Maryann received the first cash grant in the amount of P7,500.00. She recalled that it was barely a month before the school year ends, so that prior to the receipt of the grant, the children’s school obligations were already settled. In order not to misuse the money, with her husband’s help they invested in a piggery project and part of the amount was used to augment in the “pandesal” production.
With the benefits derived from the program, the family was delighted to become part of it.     All of their children are now in school. They are also able to send their eldest son to college in Naga City. Because of this poverty reduction program of the national government, Maryann said that education has become possible and they now regularly avail of the health services.
From a timid housewife, Maryann now is an active parent leader.” Because of 4Ps I have learned to interact with people, and had been exposed to various activities related to the program implementation.” She beams with pride. She also shared that their attendance to the Family Development Sessions is a big factor in strengthening the relationship of the family. Roberto , her husband became more responsible in his role as the father and the provider of the family.

Making a Difference
Maryann relates that another blessing came to their lives when she qualified for the livelihood assistance under the Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran Program (SEA – K) of the DSWD.
As a member of the Bolod SEA-K Association for Women, Maryann would receive a loan package for any productive undertaking after undergoing a training on Basic Business Management Skills. With a capital loan assistance of P10,000.00 she received in August,2010, Maryann established a mini sari-sari store in their barangay and part of the amount was invested in her piggery project. With her interest in venturing into a world of business and the skills acquired from BBMS Training, Mary ann is confident that she will be able to manage her sari-sari store well.
A few months later, the Padilla couple found out that their livelihood projects; the sari-sari store and piggery is gaining profit. In less than a year, she was able to return th capital loan assistance to the DSWD.
Out of the earnings, she started saving an amount to buy materials for their house renovation. From a house made of light materials, they are now able to change it to a concrete dwelling, though the construction is not yet completed.

During the interview, Maryann could hardly articulate with profound joy as she shares on her project’s development.

Looking back, Maryann said that the store didn’t just help the family financially but it changed their whole lives. They have their store for credit to their neighbors who are really in need. After sometime their capital increased that they were able to expand their sari-sari store. The problem on the delivery of the produced “pandesal” was answered. Roberto’s father bought him a motorcycle which he now uses in the delivery of the goods and the construction of pathways as part of the Kalahi-CIDSS sub-project has paved for his access to the nearby sitios.
At this stage, the family hasn’t stopped aiming high and striving to improve their status in life.

The family is likewise assured of an improved quality of life after the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program ends in December,2013.# # # #eejerusalem

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DSWD Field Office V has commenced with its initial recruitment process in support to the forthcoming implementation of the National Community-Driven Development Program (NCDDP), one of its poverty-reduction programs.

Applications are now accepted for those who have background in either of development project management, civil engineering, accountancy or community organizing. Interested job-seekers can personally submit their updated Personal Data Sheet/resume, letter of intent and other credentials to DSWD in Buraguis, Legazpi City.”

Currently, the program is in need of eight (8) Area Coordinators, nine (9) Deputy Area Coordinators, nine (9) Municipal Financial Analysts and 37 Community Facilitators. The deadline of submission is on July 15, 2013.

In addition, the agency will continue to receive applications for pre-evaluation of eligible candidates through paper screening and review. Other vacancies will be announced later and will be posted in DSWD Field Office.

The program staff hired under NCDDP shall be hired by DSWD based on Contract of Service (COS) or Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). The COS or MOA refers to the agreement entered into by and between the DSWD and the party being hired or the worker. It defines the terms of engagement between two parties and specifies among others the type of service, expected outputs required of the position, compensation, period covered, benefits (if any) and fund source.

The NCDDP is the scale-up of the operations of the community-driven development (CDD) approach used and proven effective by Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS). CDD empowers ordinary citizens to actively and directly participate in local governance by identifying their own community needs, planning, implementing, and monitoring projects to address local poverty issues collectively. From the current Kalahi-CIDSS coverage of 20 municipalities in five provinces, the NCDDP will be covering 105 regionwide. It will be officially launched in late 2013. ###jmarbella

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Representatives of Millennium Challenge Account of the Philippines (MCA-P), the accountable organization committed to manage the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant given to DSWD, conducted series of monitoring visits in Bicol last June 24-28, 2012.

The MCA-P team went to community subprojects implemented under the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) in Baao, Bula, Libmanan, Ocampo and Bombon.

Monitoring and Evaluation Director Elcid Pangilinan, Kalahi-CIDSS Specialist Rogelio Borbon and Internal Auditor Melba Luzarita of MCA-P monitored the status of implementation of Kalahi-CIDSS by performing oversight field visits in randomly identified areas.

MCA-P provides technical supervision to ensure that the project meets the standards to successfully complete development interventions in the communities.

“Kalahi-CIDSS is not just about infrastructures; it’s all about capacitating the communities to manage its own development that’s why we need to transfer this technology to the people,” Borbon said.

From 2011 to present, MCC has funded 677 barangays. It has provided a grant around 722 million for its implementation in Bicol until 2015.

Kalahi-CIDSS is one of the three core poverty alleviation programs of DSWD. Employing “Community-Driven Development” as a strategy, Kalahi-CIDSS trains and engages communities together with their local governments (barangay and municipal) to choose, design, and implement development projects to address their most pressing needs.

With Kalahi-CIDSS assistance, communities and local government units have built school buildings, farm-to-market roads and bridges, health stations, day care centers, common service post-harvest facilities, and many others, small-scale but responsive to community-identified needs.###jmarbella

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(From left)NHTS-PR Regional Focal Person Ciriaco B. Abejuro Jr.,Mayor Chito S. Chi and Joy
Belen III,NHTS-PR Regional Field Coordinator during the pilot testing of data monitoring in Baras, Catanduanes

The National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 5 keeps an eye on the use of the data statistics released in the region.

The data monitoring which started last March 15, 2013 aimed to guard the proper utilization of the data as well as ensuring that it will be utilized according to its purpose.

As a result, it was noted that most of the data shared with the Local Government Units (LGU’s) were lodged at the Municipal Social Welfare Office and Municipal Planning and Development Office which the latter used for the preparation of bottom-up planning/budgeting. Likewise, MSWDO’s were able to utilize the data in the preparation of the Social Protection and Development Report (SPDR).

The shared data is an output of the 2009 enumeration in which 461,242 households in Bicol region were identified as poor.

Presently, the National Household Targeting Unit (NHTU) has provided statistics data to 90 LGU’s while 6 LGU’s and 2 NGO’s inked into a memorandum of agreement.

The National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) is an information management that identifies who and where the poor are. It is intended for the national government agencies, private sector and civil society groups which provides social protection programs to the poor.###crbarrameda

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