1,000 families taken off Pantawid list

CEBU, Philippines - From the original 206,367 Pantawid Pamil-ya program family-beneficiaries in Central Visayas, at least 1,000 have been delisted.

Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 provincial link officer for Cebu of Pantawid Program Brigieda Goron said they have been delisted due to poor compliance with the conditionals of the program.

“We have delisted around 700 beneficiaries in the entire Cebu province of which 400 recipients came from Cebu City. In the entire region, we have delisted more than 1,000 families,” Goron said.

In Central Visayas, there are 206,367 Pantawid beneficiaries with majority of the recipients coming from Cebu province at 94,537, followed by Negros Oriental with 63,318. Bohol has 46,009 household-recipients and 2,503 in Siquijor. 

According to Goron, they were delisted because they were found to be financially capable while others no longer have children below 14 years of age. Some beneficiaries were found out that they used their cash grant for vices such as gambling and drinking alcohol. 

“We have to instill in the minds of the recipients that the financial assistance from the government is not a dole-out. This is why the program is also called conditional cash transfer which means conditions should be complied with,” Goron said. 

The DSWD has been conducting eligibility check routine for those identified to have regular source of income. Field staff visit household beneficiaries to review and reassess the household conditions if they shall be retained or delisted from the program.Goron stressed that the conditional cash transfer program carries with it certain obligations.

Goron said household-recipients should value the government’s financial assistance in helping them make ends meet in two basic areas which are health and education.

“The government spends billions of pesos to help the identified very poor families nationwide and all it asks in return is that they comply with certain responsibilities,” said Goron. 

The government has a budget of P49.2 billion this year, up from the P34.5B in 2011.

The 4Ps recipients receive a maximum monthly allocation of P1,400 financial aid of which P500 is for health needs and P300 each for schoolchildren below 14 years of age with a maximum of three children for their educational needs.

But to continue receiving the financial assistance, household-beneficiaries must comply with their responsibilities. These include 85 percent school attendance of children in all classes, a regular visit to barangay health center, and regular attendance to family development sessions. — Garry B. Lao/JPM (THE FREEMAN)