Family of five headed by a 49-year old single mother as grand winner 4Ps model beneficiary

MANILA, Philippines - A poor but progressing family of five from Lemery, Iloilo City was formally conferred the grand winner as the model household-beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The “Huwarang Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino” grand winner award was formally conferred by DSWD Secretary Corazon “Dinky”Juliano-Soliman to the Tanutan family of Iloilo yesterday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City, the highlight of the DSWD’s celebration of the National Family Week.

The family, represented by single mother, Gemma Tanutan, 49,expressed gratitude to the DSWD for the recognition of their efforts to rise from poverty with the help of the 4Ps cash grants.

Tanutan said that the conditional cash grants given under the DSWD’s 4Ps was a big help to their family, as she struggled to send four children to school.

Tanutan, it was learned, had not turned away traditionally masculine work as a farmer-tiller, to send her children to school. She had also done jobs as a construction worker, if she can get such work.

“ (I also thank Pantawid Pamilya. It helped us a lot especially in sending our children to school. Our eldest has already graduated while the three continue to attend school,” Tanutan said.

Tanutan’s eldest son had just recently graduated from a marine engineering course, and is expected soon to help his mother support the family.

Also recognised by the DSWD s “runner-up” model 4Ps beneficiaries were the Victoria family of Buli, Camarines Norte; Ewican family of Carmen, Bohol; Bacaltos Family of Palawa; and the Ayad Family of Dasmarinas, Cavite.

 Pantawid Pamilya is a human development program of the national government that invests in the health and education of children 0-18 years old from eligible poor households. It provides cash grants of as much as P1,400 to qualified households provided they comply with the program conditionalities of sending their children to school, bringing them to health centers for check-up, and attending the Family Development Sessions. As of  September 17, there are 4,211,283 registered beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya. 

DSWD Secretary Corazon «Dinky»Juliano-Soliman, who formally gave the grand winner award and the runner-up awards to the five families said that the successes of the recognised families showcased the 4Ps capacity to help the country›s poorest families to start rising from poverty, and effect positive change in their lives.

Soliman stressed that the 4Ps was a family-focused poverty alleviation program, and as such, was worth showing to other Filipino families as the country celebrated the National Family Week which carried the theme: Pamilyang Pilipino para sa Pagbabago: Tumawid sa Kaunlaran”.

“This is a special day for children who  go to school and to mothers and fathers who are doing their best to make positive changes in their lives,“ Soliman said. 

Soliman said that the DSWD had showcased the success stories of the 4Ps to to recognize the efforts of the beneficiaries to improve their lives as a family.

“It highlights the message that with proper support and right opportunities, the poor will be able to improve their own lives, Soliman said.

 “We want our beneficiaries to be proud of their efforts to surpass the challenges they face. We want them to claim that the improvements in their lives are the fruits of their own hard work, and we from the government just help them.” “Oftentimes, we only hear of statistics or numbers of beneficiaries from other towns. This gathering  put a face to the numbers,” Soliman added.

The DSWD celebration of the nationwide family day was also attended by Health Secretary Enrique Ona and Education Secretar Armin Luistro.