Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said on Friday (March 21) that the mobile phones from Globe and GCASH aim to help make the cash grants easily accessed by Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries who are considered the poorest members as well as those living in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs).
“Sa tulong ng Globe at ng Gcash, sila ang nagbigay ng mga cellphones, yung pinakamahirap natin na 4Ps beneficiaries, yung level 1 or survival mode kung tawagin, binigyan at bibigyan natin para makalipat sila sa Gcash or sa e-wallet. Sa ngayon natatanggap nila ang grant sa pamamagitan ng ATM sa malalayong lugar, minsan 8 hours to get to the nearest ATM machine,” Secretary Gatchalian said in an interview over Radyo Pilipinas’ Bangon, Bayang Mahal radio program.
With the use of the smart phones, the said 4Ps beneficiaries will be capacitated on the use digital apps to help them transition to receiving their cash grants through e-wallets.
The DSWD chief said these select 4Ps beneficiaries go through difficulties just to get their cash grants, and also spend on transportation costs especially in the provinces.
The length of travel taken by the beneficiaries to withdraw their cash grants also poses a risk to their security, according to the DSWD chief.
“Imagine ang hirap din dinadanas nila para kunin lang yong kanilang grant. So, ngayon dahil may e-wallet na alam natin maraming merchant ang GCash nationwide kaya nagpapasalamat kami sa Globe na nagbigay ng mga cellphones,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
The Secretary assured the public that the 4Ps beneficiaries will be provided with relevant knowledge on how best to utilize the smartphones, not only on the receipt and use of their cash grants, but on digital literacy, as well.
The DSWD is currently collaborating with the BPI Foundation, Globe, and GCASH on the provision of financial digital literacy training for the smartphone recipients to hopefully open possible livelihood opportunities for them.
Launched in 2008 and institutionalized by Republic Act (RA) 11310 in 2019, the 4Ps is the national poverty reduction strategy and human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfer to poor households for a maximum period of seven years to improve their children’s health, nutrition, and education. (GDVF)