by Narabelle Z.. Bue (DSWD)
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Apr. 26, (PIA) - - “Be updated and know your responsibilities,” said Zamboanga Sibugay’s 1st District Congressman Jonathan Cabilao Yambao to the beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program who were present during the Convergence Caravan held in Alicia, Sibugay recently.
Member
of committees on appropriations and poverty reduction, the young Yambao
explained to his constituents where the money for the program came from and how
some Pantawid supporters and DSWD officials defended the budget which
materialized the inclusion of some 20,658 poor households in Sibugay District I
for the said program.
He
also encouraged the beneficiaries to know more about the program considering
the new policies instituted by the implementing agency and take the initiative
to help uplift themselves from poverty. Violation of policies such as pawning
their cards to credit facilities, accordingly, is one of the many issues
discussed in the congress during program reviews.
“Kinahanglan
mag-double time ta, apan ang program 5-ka tuig lang, ug daghan pa ta buluhatun
para mu-uswag atong kinabuhi ” (We have to double our efforts for the
program is good for 5 years only and we still have so much to do to improve our
lives), said the young congressman, challenging the beneficiaries from the nine
municipalities of Alicia, Buug, Diplahan, Imelda, Mabuhay, Malangas, Olutanga,
Payao and Talusan.
Per
report from the Social Welfare and Development Team (SWADT) in Ipil, a total
amount of P228,949,560.00 was already disbursed by Landbank to the
beneficiaries in District I of Sibugay from 2009 to 2011.
With
Pantawid, other programs were also implemented in the said District, such as
the Kalahi-CIDSS program short for KAPIT-BISIG LABAN SA KAHIRAPAN, which
employs a community-driven development scheme where local government units and
the barangay people come together in identifying needs of the community.
With
pooled finances from the municipal and barangay units, DSWD through the support
of World Bank complements the project with needed funding and technical
assistance. However, the barangay people adopts a sense of responsibility over
the project and look after its maintenance as part of their contribution and
embodied upon the memorandum of agreement entered with DSWD. Todate, KALAHI had
disbursed a total of P18.5M for sub-projects in Mabuhay and Payao
municipalities.
SEA-K
or Self-Employment Assistance for Kaunlaran, the livelihood program of DSWD has
also shelled out P2M for capital assistance to 120 beneficiaries to finance
micro-enterprises. The program enables the poor to have access to credit,
promote entrepreneurship for the main goal of increasing their income. Since
majority of the beneficiaries are from coastal areas, most of them are engaged
in dried fish vending, agar-agar farming and buy and sell of marine products.
Other
agencies such as TESDA, DOH/PHO, DILG, DOLE/PESO provided services during the
activity. The Armed Forces of the Philippines represented by Capt. Abdjuraji of
the 18th Infantry Battallion also offered services like shoe repair,
manicure and therapeutic massage. However, majority of the Pantawid
beneficiaries availed of the free medical and dental consultations by doctors
from the different health office units who also distributed medicines.
Cong.
Yambao, obviously satisfied with the activity, expressed, “I hope this caravan
will not be the last but a first to a series of activities bringing government
services closer to the people. (JPA/NZB/CIO/PIA 9-ZBST)
