Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian expressed his confidence on the values gained by Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries from attending monthly family development sessions (FDS).
During a press conference on Thursday (March 27), the DSWD chief was asked by reporters on various scenarios that may happen to 4Ps beneficiaries who received new mobile phones donated by Globe Telecom and G-Xchange, Inc. (GXI), the operator of GCash.
“Part ng success nitong program is the values that we teach them and the morals that we teach them through the family development session…lahat ng kinwento niyo pwede mangyari na nahulog sa imburnal, na-nasnatch, na-nahulog, but I’d like to think na, these are, kung may ganyan, it will be isolated kasi yung values sana ng ating mga 4Ps beneficiaries are already at par, meaning maayos naman kasi iyan yung kanilang mga [natutunan sa] family development session,” Secretary Gatchalian told reporters.
Last March 18, the DSWD, with its private partners, launched a mobile phone distribution to provide new mobile phones to 32,684 beneficiaries of 4Ps who are at Level 1 or Survival Level of well-being and who are living in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA).
Secretary Gatchalian said these mobile phones will help the beneficiaries to easily access their financial grants via digital apps so they no longer need to travel for long hours to withdraw from automated teller machines (ATMs).
“Meron kaming cases maglalakad mula sa bundok, pababa, tapos mag-tatricycle, sometimes six hours. Pero kung tatanungin mo sila kung may GCash merchant dun sa lugar nila, meron, and normally kapitbahay lang nila,” Secretary Gatchalian explained to reporters.
The DSWD chief warned 4Ps beneficiaries of the possible implications if they deliberately lose their mobile phones, including the possibility of selling them.
“One, bawal mo ibenta, two, kailangan mo ilipat from basic deposit account, yung ATM to e-wallet so pag binenta mo yung cellphone at wala ka ng cellphone, di mo naman makukuha ang grant mo,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.
The mobile phone distribution is part of the “e-Panalo ang Kinabukasan” financial digital initiative of the 4Ps that aims to educate, inform, and encourage beneficiaries to utilize digital applications for managing their finances, especially for the beneficiaries living in remote areas.
Secretary Gatchalian’s Press Conference was in lieu of the weekly DSWD Thursday Media Forum of the Strategic Communications Group. (AKDL)