“Hindi dole-out ang Pantawid Pamilya program, ito ay ipinatutupad upang tugunan ang kahirapan at lahat ay may tungkuling dapat gampanan sa implementasyon nito,” said Caloocan City 2^nd District Congressman Edgar Erice in his message of commitment and support to the program, during the recent NCR’s 12^th Convergence Caravan in Caloocan City.

Congressman Erice also emphasized that moving out from poverty is a shared responsibility of the beneficiaries and government as there are conditionalities that need to be complied in order to attain the goal of the program.

As presented by Department of Social Welfare and Development – National Capital Region (DSWD-NCR) Director Ma. Alicia S. Bonoan during the event, Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries in Caloocan City have obtained an average of 93% compliance to the conditionalities of the program for the period January to August 2014.

Meanwhile, Caloocan City Social Welfare and Development Officer-In-Charge Roberto Quizon announced the upcoming construction of a conducive workplace for DSWD-NCR Pantawid Pamilya staff in North Caloocan, as part of their support to the program.

Features of the programme were awarding of the following: Self-Employment Assistance – Kaunlaran (SEA-K) livelihood capital assistance to 17 associations; Oscar “Oca” Malapitan’s Educational Assistance to two (2) college students; and birthday package to seven (7) senior citizens.

Also, the beneficiaries, partner agencies, staff and officials of DSWD-NCR and Caloocan City danced to the rhythm of “Kaya ko ang pagbabago” as a celebration for the positive changes that the program has brought to the beneficiaries.

Simultaneous to the programme, a service caravan led by DSWD-NCR and Caloocan LGU was also conducted in partnership with, DTI-NCR, DA-IV-A, NNC, NFA-NCR and BPI Globe Banko which include the following: free haircut,massage, facial, cellphone repair, late birth registration, legal and medical assistance, skills demonstration on siomai-making, jobs fair, BPI Globe Banko registration, Diskwento caravan, seeds and nutri recipe-book distribution, cheap retail of NFA rice and SEA-K products display.

Convergence caravan is an event being implemented by the Department in partnership with the local government units, partner government agencies and civil society organizations which aims to bring the government services closer to people.###