The World Bank team led by its Vice President of East Asia and Pacific Region Axel Van Trotsenburg, and arranged by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) headed by Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, visited Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries at Barangay Doña Imelda, Quezon City.
Done on July 11, 2013, the group visited the site at 42 Kapiligan Street of the mentioned barangay wherein a four (4) storey building will be put up as in-city relocation for its identified informal settler families who are residing along the 3-meter easement of Pasig river through Peoples Plan.
Out of the 367 Pantawid Pamilya household beneficiaries in barangay Doña Imelda, 115 families were identified as informal settlers wherein 80 have been included in the 3-meter easement who are priority for relocation this year.
After visiting the relocation site, the group proceeded to Betty Go- Belmonte Elementary School where 376 children beneficiaries are being monitored for compliance in the education condition, for a focused group discussion.
In this activity, the Parent Leaders proudly narrated to the WB visitors and Secretary Soliman the impact of the Pantawid Pamilya program in their lives. Herewith, the PLs showed to everyone and to Mr. Trotsenburg the cash card they use in withdrawing their grants and the beneficiary guide booklet they are using.
In the closing program done at the barangay hall, with Vice President and Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Jejomar Binay, WB team, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, DSWD staff, barangay officials and Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries, Secretary Soliman said in her remarks, “What’s most significant is the people themselves are leading the process of change constructively engaging with the national as well as the local government.” She emphasized that with the help of Pantawid Pamilya program which ensures the health and education of the children based on compliance to the conditionalities, the new generation will become the new leaders and movers of the community that will soon contribute to the inclusive growth of the economy.
Furthermore, VP Binay in his closing remarks said to everyone, “tunay na masuwerte and inyong barangay dahil sabay na ipinatutupad ang programang pabahay, at ang conditional cash transfer program ng DSWD… ngunit kasabay nito ay ang pagtugon ninyong mga benepisyaryo sa inyong responsibilidad at kondisyon ng mga programang ito.”
Meanwhile, for the take away message of Mr. Trotsenburg, he said, “For me, this is certainly a wonderful experience to see how the different forces are working together and we feel honored… my team (World Bank team), to work with you.”
The tenement building was initiated by barangay Doña Imelda community with their Civil Society Organization Ugnayang Lakas ng mga Apektadong Pamilya sa baybayin ng Ilog Pasig at mga Atributanyo (ULAP) which will be operational through the assistance of HUDCC, Social Housing and Finance Corporation (SHFC), and World Bank. (FO-NCR Social Marketing Office, July 22, 2013) ###