by Claro A. Lanipa
Pagadian City, 06 Oct. (PIA) – Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), grievance officer Jerry Requillo recently disclosed that it is very disappointing to learn that some beneficiaries of the program are not doing anymore their usual task to earn a living because they are now dependent on the monthly assistance they receive from the program.
He said, at the start of the program implementation, the identified beneficiaries were made to understand that the 4Ps program is not meant to make them lazy, but it is an augmentation assistance given to them to support the schooling and good health of their children as well as the welfare of pregnant and lactating mothers.
This is one of the conditions they have to comply. The benefits they receive is intended for the whole family because if we look into it, this grant is intended for the health and education of their children, Requillo said.
“Let us bear in mind that this grant is for the welfare of your children and you have to use it properly and for its intended purpose,” Requillo stressed.
The notebooks, slippers, and bags are part of the monthly supplement the children need, to include the vitamins, milk and even allowances in school. These are the reasons why children stop schooling, because their parents can not afford to provide the basic needs of their children. The assistance they receive from the program are basically intended to address the needs of their schoolchildren, Requillo exhorted.
Requillo strongly urged the Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries to make use of the monthly financial assistance for their own development. He said the program is only good for five (5) years, after which they need to stand on their own to continue sending their children to school.
On the other hand, Requillo also disclosed that as an answer to the complaint they received that some beneficiaries of the program are active government employees, in which case are not supposed to avail of the assistance from 4Ps, he said they are now conducting a validation to prove as to what is the basis of their actual family income.
He said, this will not take a long process, because they already forwarded their recommendation to DSWD central office to delete these people from the list and if this will be finalized, they will be dropped from the list of beneficiaries.
As of this date, there are some 600-800 beneficiaries who were recommended for delisting, because they were not qualified to avail the assistance. There were also some teachers who already waived their membership in the program, Requillo concluded. (DSWD-9/ALT/CAL/PIA9/Zambo Sur)
