To address the reports on pawning of cash cards among Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries, the Department of Social Welfare and Development – National Capital Regionj (DSWD-NCR) through its Project Development Officers (PDOs) initiated the conduct of “katok cash card,” an on-the-spot validation if the cash card is in the possession of beneficiaries.

The activity started in December 2016 wherein the City link (case manager) and Grievance Officers who are assigned in a particular area are immediately verifying the reports on cash card pawning wherein written warning will be served to the beneficiaries who were proved to pawn their cash cards.

Cities of Caloocan and Valenzuela are the pilot areas of “Katok Cash Card” wherein 15 out of the 61 households validated were found guilty in the alleged pawning of their respective cash cards.

Aside from the issuance of written warning, guidelines on the misbehavior of beneficiaries were reiterated to the visited households to raise their awareness regarding the sanctions they might face if they have committed such act.

If the strategy will be found effective in addressing the issue on cash card pawning, it will be eventually applied to other areas in Metro Manila where reports on it were frequently received.

“This initiative will strengthen the advocacy of the Department that we are not tolerating this act of some beneficiaries, for they have to comply with conditions and guidelines of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program as they agreed by signing their “Kasunduan” upon their registration as recipient of it,” DSWD-NCR Regional Director Vincent Andrew T. Leyson said.

Currently, there are 227,373 Pantawid Pamilya households beneficiaries in Metro Manila who are receiving their cash grants based on their compliance to the conditionalities of the program.

Out of the said numbers, 196,104 households are receiving their grants through their cash cards while the remaining are still in their processing of cash card enrollment. ###