Program beneficiaries assess themselves

CEBU, Philippines - Breaking generation poverty through social development is but one of the main objectives of the poverty alleviation Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. One of the major strategies in materializing this goal is through the conduct of family development sessions at least once-a-month wherein values and empowerment can be stressed.

In the three years of Pantawid Pamilya implementation in the City of Cebu, initial gains can already be established especially in terms of education and health seeking behavior of the beneficiaries. However such initial gains could only be proven truly effective if the beneficiaries themselves assess their development, empowering them to own the program, appreciate the social change and further take action on their needs.

The City of Cebu supports such an idea, which prompted them to conduct an Assessment Consultation on the last week of November 2011 with the first ten barangays the program was implemented namely Sawang Calero, Tejero, T. Padilla, Inayawan, Duljo-Fatima, Sudlon 1 and 2, Kalunasan, Tagbao and Mambaling.

Each of this barangays presented a comparative data from 2008 to 2011 in terms of health seeking behavior on pre-natal and post natal availment, immunization and weighing. Likewise, data on enrollment and various topics taken up during Family Development Sessions such as Violence Against Women and Children, Responsible Parenthood, National Greening Program, etc. and how it has helped their families and communities. 

The City Advisory Committee compose of the program’s different partner agencies were present namely Delia Kiamko from the Department of Education, Minda del Monte of DSWS, Violeta Rosal and Marcela Pungase from the City Planning Office and Geraldine Randan of Cebu City Health. Their presence ensures that issues, concerns and needs on the supply side and services are immediately addressed.

Initial gains includes Tejero’s lessened cases on VAWC by 80 percent and the beneficiaries empowered to take action by making a resolution, lobbying for the assistance of Rep. “Cutie” del Mar and their local barangay to put up a gymnasium at the Tejero Elementary School benefiting their children and those of their non-Pantawid neighbors.

On the other hand, T. Padilla recorded a 100 percent availment of post-natal, immunization and de-worming, Kalunasan and Sawang Calero dropping from the list of malnourished barangays. Also Inayawan beneficiaries are aggressively implementing curfew and police the internet cafes in their community as their response to the call of anti-trafficking.

The Badjaos too have their own initial success to be proud of which is from 60 percent availment of immunization for their children in 2009 to 100 percent in 2011. Responsible parenthood can now be seen with this minority as they availed of natural and artificial family planning methods with a record of zero in 2009 to approx. 20 percent availment in 2011.

For nomads like the gypsies who have a tendency to transfer from one place to another, the onset of the program made them stay in Mambaling so their children can continually attend school as required by the program’s condition of 85 percent attendance. Illiterate parents too availed of DepEd’s Alternative Learning System Program.  (FREEMAN)