Some 849 homeless street families in Metro Manila were provided with alternative homes through the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer for Homeless Street Families (MCCT-HSF) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

DSWD-NCR Regional Director Ma. Alicia S. Bonoan said this effort is part of the Department’s thrust to reduce the number of street families and to provide the street children with a safe place away from the streets.

She added that MCCT-HSF program strengthens the coverage of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program by targeting the homeless street families who were not included in the assessment of poor households because of their mobility.

“Just like the regular Pantawid Pamilya Program, beneficiaries of MCCT-HSF also follow a set of modified conditionalities before they could receive their monthly cash grants.  Currently, there are 1,610 homeless families who are registered in the program and we are now working on the provision of alternative family home to the remaining beneficiaries,” explained Bonoan.

Each household receives a maximum of P1,400 per month for health and education of the children and P3,000 monthly housing assistance for six months while they are being prepared for their community reintegration.

Under the MCCT-HSF, parents should ensure that their children do not stay or work on the streets and should attend Family Life Education and Counseling, Family Development Sessions (FDS); the children should be attending any mode of learning, either regular school, Alternative Learning System (ALS), School on Wheels or Supervised Neighborhood Play (SNP); parents/guardians should bring their children to health centers for immunizations, weight and height monitoring and preventive check-ups; and household beneficiaries must stay in alternative residences after identification, relocation and/or provision of shelter assistance for them. ### (FO-NCR Social Marketing Office, July 24, 2013 )