After the successful implementation of the first Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program service caravan in Taguig City, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to implement this in other regions as well.
The service caravan was organized by DSWD in partnership with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) such as the Light House Christian Community and Alliance of God’s Servant in Taguig Inc., and the local government unit.
Some 1,136 beneficiaries received their cash grants during the payout and availed of the various services such as a free eye check up by QC Eye Specialist and haircut by trained Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries.
Charity First Foundation also offered scholarships while the Department of Agriculture distributed seedlings.
There were also orientations on different DSWD programs and efforts such as the Social Pension, Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), Listahanan, and disaster preparedness, among others.
Likewise, Red Cross and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) opened their booths to explain their membership service.
Products of SLP beneficiaries were also on sale during the caravan.
Positive change
During the activity, beneficiaries were given the chance to share how Pantawid Pamilya has helped them improve their situation.
Marisel Pena, 38, revealed that she was a jueteng-bet collector before she became a beneficiary. Today, she manages her rice cake business which she started using the capital assistance extended by SLP.
“Malaking tulong sa amin ang Pantawid Pamilya at SLP hindi lang sa pagbago nang aming estado sa buhay kundi nabago niya rin ang aking pananaw. Ngayon marangal na ang aking trabaho at masasabi ko na maipagmamalaki na ako ng aking mga anak (Pantawid Pamilya and SLP have helped not only in the improvement of our status in life but also in changing my perspective in life. Now, I can say that I have a noble job which my children can be proud of),” Marisel said.
Show of transparency
Beyond the payout and service caravan, the activity became a venue to demonstrate transparency of the program.
The CSO partners present during the activity witnessed the conduct of payout in an over-the-counter setup. It can be recalled that the DSWD forged a partnership with CSOs to help in monitoring the implementation of Pantawid Pamilya.
DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman thanked the CSO partners for their invaluable role in monitoring the program and cited their presence during payouts as indication that the DSWD is open with its transactions and processes.
“Our CSO partners serve as our watchdogs to ensure that the program is corruption-free all throughout the whole process of paying out the cash grants to the beneficiaries,” Sec. Soliman ended. ###
