The 2018 GAA provisions for the administrative cost of PSP for 2018 were set at 5% contrary to the customary GAA provision of 12%. This change in the GAA provision affected the salaries of the workers which is commensurate to an amount which is equal to the salaries of 836 PSP workers from January to June 2018.

This problem was anticipated by the Department as early as April 2018, an alternative option of request for fund augmentation was explored by the Department. The Department also decided to cut on some activities to augment the salaries of employees but this initiative took care of the salaries of employees from July to September of 2018.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development – National Capital Region (DSWD NCR) clarified that the temporary suspension of services of 177 Cost of Service staff under the Protective Service Program, Crisis Intervention Unit and Lingap Sa Masa whose funds are chargeable against the PSP funds is an unfortunate circumstance not only in the Field Office but across all Field Offices of DSWD.

The lack of funds for the period of October 16 to December 31, 2018 hindered the continuous service of said number of staff which has a huge impact on the operationalization of the programs. As early as August 2018, the staff were informed regarding the nationwide funding dilemma. Nonetheless, the FO NCR management continuously followed up to the Central Office through series of memoranda while Central Office worked hard to lobby to the Department of Budget and Management the additional funding to pay for the services of the COS staff.

“It is but fair for the 177 COS staff to know the real situation which is why after the issuance of the memorandum of temporary suspension of their services on October 18, 2018, the concerned staff were convened and explained to them that while awaiting funding to be downloaded, the services will be temporarily suspended,” Assistant Secretary of the Office of Secretary Group and Concurrent OIC – Regional Director Glenda D. Relova said.

Relova even made representations before the DBM in order to put a stop on the domino effect of the temporary suspension on the program implementation and further, to those who are beneficiaries of the affected programs.

While exhausting all possible means, Relova instructed to prioritize the laid off staff to the available vacant positions in the Field Office.

“Despite of this challenge, DSWD NCR will not stop catering to the clients and individuals in crises situation,” Relova emphasized. Staff augmentation was requested from different Divisions, Units, Sections and Programs in the Field Office to ensure the continuity of the implementation of the programs.

In pursuing the options that the Department needs to take, and in order for all parties involve to have a “win-win” situation, the DSWD management is taking into considerations two sides which is to ensure the continuous delivery of frontline services together with the assurance that the needed number of workers are maintained and will not be displaced.

Relova appealed to the concerned staff to extend their patience and understanding that the top management is doing its best in taking immediate action on this pressing concern. She also solicited the support of the Social Welfare Employees Association of the Philippines (SWEAP) in disseminating the correct information. She ensured that the Union will be provided with updates on the results of the actions that are being undertaken by the management.

“The DSWD is the agency mandated to protect the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalized the same way that we would like to protect the welfare of our staff. It is with heavy heart that the work for the 177 staff of the Field Office were suspended.” Relova said. ###

Winners of the Regional Search for Pantawid Pamilya Exemplary Children 2018 as well as Ginoo at Binibining Pantawid Pamilya 2018 in the National Capital Region were recognized during the celebration of Department of Social Welfare and Development-National Capital Region’s (DSWD-NCR) 40th founding anniversary held at Lakeshore Tent, Taguig City.

Out of the 17 nominees from all the Local Government Units (LGUs) in the region, Justin Dale O. Dela Cruz from Malabon City was awarded as the Pantawid Pamilya Exemplary Child 2018 during the awarding ceremony. He received cash prize and a plaque.

The competition aims to recognize exemplary Pantawid children who serve as excellent examples in their households, schools, and communities. It also aims to encourage children to be active citizens by complying with the conditions of the program.

Candidates of the regional search must be part of a family-beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program aged 10 to 14 in order to qualify. The nominee must be enrolled, compliant with the school attendance requirement of the program and has 90 percent school attendance with good scholastic standing and no grades below the passing mark, fully-immunized and dewormed twice for 6 to 14 years old.

Nominees were judged based on their behaviour and practice, talent, intelligence and wit, community and school participation, presence and appearance during a two-day screening and evaluation conducted by a panel of judges composed of representatives from the Regional Council for the Welfare of Children-NCR (RCWC-NCR).

Patrick Jhastine T. Abe of Mandaluyong City, Mayline Anne S. Legaspi of Valenzuela, and Maxine Makakua of Manila were awarded 3rd runner-up, 2nd runner-up, and 1st runner-up respectively. The regional winner, along with the other three winners, will represent NCR during the National Children’s Congress that will be held in November during the celebration of Children’s Month.

Meanwhile, Luisito Ponciano of Valenzuela City and Veronica Saludar from Las Piñas City were hailed as the Ginoo at Bb. Pantawid Pamilya NCR 2018, respectively. The winners of the competition each received cash prize and a plaque.

They were selected because they were recognized as Gender and Development (GAD) champions within their respective communities.

The event did not only highlight women’s vital role in the process of development but also emphasized that women and men are equally given the chance to exhibit empowerment through participation to different activities, be it community-based, productive or reproductive; paid or unpaid.

Representatives from the NCR Pantawid Regional Project Management Office and officials from Men Oppose Violence Everywhere (MOVE) selected the top 5 Ginoos and Binibinis who were awarded during the program.

The winners will be advocates of women empowerment and gender equality within their respective communities and will also be representatives to local activities. ######

DSWD-NCR Assistant Regional Director for Operations Edna J. Sacedor raises a toast for the exited Pantawid Pamilya family-beneficaries.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development-National Capital Region (DSWD NCR) commemorated the 10^th year of implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in the region with an event that showcased the stories of beneficiaries who exited or waived from the program.

The activity entitled “Toast for Success” aimed to highlight the stories of Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries who have waived or exited from the program after determining that they have reached self-sufficient level of well-being.

“Lubos ang kagalakan ng ahensya sapagkat makikita ang positibong resulta ng programa sa pamamagitan ng mga benepisyaryong nakatatawid sa kahirapan at napauunlad ang pamumuhay ng kanilang pamilya,” DSWD NCR Assistant Regional Director Edna J. Sacedor said.

Social Welfare and Development Indicators, a yearly monitoring of Pantawid Pamilya grantees by DSWD, assess the level of well-being of family beneficiaries-from survival, subsistence, and self-sufficiency.

According to SWDI, family beneficiaries who have attained economic sufficiency and social adequacy are considered to have reached a self-sufficient level of well-being. Economic sufficiency refers to the employable skills of members, employment and salary, source of income, membership to social security and access to financial institutions. Meanwhile, social adequacy is measured through the members’s health condition, nutrition and education, access to safe drinking water and sanitary toilet facility, house construction and ownership, and awareness of social issues.

Around 20 family-beneficiaries who have exited or waived from the program were recognized during the activity and were awarded certificates.  Several former members of the program also gave testimonies about the life-changing impact of the program.

Ma. Antonieth Cipriano from Navotas City, a solo parent who was under the program for four years before exiting, shared her insight about Pantawid Pamilya.

“Ang programa pong ito ng gobyerno ay nagbibigay ng bagong buhay. Natulungan ako ng programa na maitawid ang mga anak ko mula sa kahirapan sa pamamagitan ng pag-aaral.”

With the help of the program, Mrs. Cipriano is now working as a Social Welfare Assistant in DSWD-NCR. Before becoming a member, she was unemployed and had a difficult time finding a job and providing for her children’s needs. Now, her eldest daughter finished her college education and is employed. Her second child is set to graduate Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education Major in Mathematics next year, while her youngest child is a Grade 12 student.

With the theme, “Ang Pagpapakilala at Pagkilala sa Natatanging Benepisyaryo ng Pantawid Pamilya”, the activity was also conducted in observance of the International Day for Overcoming Poverty.  The celebration is in line with the program’s goal of breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty. It is also consistent with DSWD’s core organizational outcome to improve the well-being of poor families.

Partner government agencies such as the Local Government Units (LGUs), Department of Health and Department of Education were part of the celebration.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a program of the national government implemented through the DSWD in cooperation with LGUs and NGAs. The program invests in health and education of poor households primarily of children aged 18 and below. ###

Indigenous People who are members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program – Modified Conditional Cash Transfer attended an orientation on the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) recently conducted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development-National Capital Region (DSWD-NCR) at Best Western Hotel Ermita, Manila.

The event, launched in observance of the celebration of the 2018 International Day of the Philippine Indigenous Peoples, aimed to orient Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) about their rights.

Mr. Renato B. Magnaye from the National Commission of Indigenous People (NCIP) gave a presentation on the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, which recognizes, promotes and protects the rights of IPs and ICCs.

During the event, DSWD-NCR also discussed its interventions and programs in upholding human rights. The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program provides cash grants to poor households including IPs with children 0-18 years old provided they comply with the conditions of the program such as sending their children to school, bringing them for regular check-ups at their respective health centers and attending Family Development Sessions.

The Modified Conditional Cash Transfer under the Pantawid Pamilya for Indigenous Peoples was created to match the culture and traditions of IPs and ICCs.

Speaking during the event, IP Tribal Parent Leader Aysha Sabral cited how the MCCT program has helped the sector. She said that under the program, children of IP households were safer. Healthcare has become more accessible for them and they have also earned money through the Cash for Work Program.

“Ang laki po ng pinagbago ng aming pamumuhay nang maging miyembro kami ng programa.  Ngayon ay marunong na din kaming makisalamuha sa maraming tao, kasi dati nahihiya kami. Ngayon ay proud po kami at nalaman namin na kaya pala naming makipagsabayan. Kahit Badjao, kaya naman pala,” she added.

Another initiative launched by DSWD-NCR to empower and protect IPs in the region was the Task Force Sama-Bajau. Project Development Officer III Pilar R. Santiago presented the different activities undertaken by the task force in order to promote the welfare of IPs in NCR.

A dialogue between MCCT IP members and officials from DSWD-NCR was facilitated at the end of the event in order to address the different concerns and an issue experienced by the sector. ###

As part of the effort of the Department of Social Welfare and Development- National Capital Region to improve the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the agency conducted a Partnership Building Summit on September 5, 2018 at Makati City Hall.

The activity, entitled “Tulong-tulong sa Pag-unlad Program Partnership Building”, served as a venue for DSWD-NCR to establish partnerships with Non-Government Organizations, Private Organizations and the business sector through their Corporate Social Responsibility Arm and encourage them to engage in the implementation of the Program.

Planning Officer III Lily Demabildo presented a poverty situationer in the National Capital Region. It gave an overall view of the current economic and financial condition of the population in the region.

A video presentation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program’s history, process, and objectives was showed to orient the attending organizations and stakeholders.

In his presentation, Regional Program Coordinator of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Joel D. Cam gave a deeper insight into the program’s coverage and scope of activities. Afterward, he discussed the potential areas of partnership that the participants of the event could be involved in.

Another objective of the event is to present and highlight the commonalities of programs and services provided by the Local Government Unit, DSWD-NCR and existing partners in order to complement programs in addressing the identified gaps in the community.

DSWD-NCR Regional Director Vincent Andrew T. Leyson underlined the importance of harmonizing the different initiatives and programs that are geared towards helping the marginalized sector. “We are encouraging each one to be our partner, so your resources can be used in a way na mas matutulungan yung mga Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries,” he said. He also called on the attending NGOs, POs and the business sector to help out in the implementation of other DSWD projects and programs in regions outside NCR.

Mr. Leyson added that aside from monetary aid, there are competencies or technical expertise that could be shared with Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries such as financial literacy and job placement.

Majority of the attending organizations expressed their willingness to explore potential partnerships with DSWD-NCR.  ###

Beneficiaries of the Unconditional Cash Transfer program receive their cash grant at the Land Bank – España branch

The Department of Social Wefare and Development – National Capital Region (DSWD-NCR) in coordination with the Land Bank of the Philippines has started to release the cash grants to 22,180 eligible households who were identified through Listahanan. These eligible households are from 17 Local Government Units in Metro Manila.

The eligible beneficiaries from NCR have expressed their gratitude to the Department upon receiving their cash grants. The cash grants will be a helpful addition towards buying the staple needs of each household which may have risen due to the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law. The beneficiaries count themselves blessed to be one of the recipients of the cash subsidy and expressed hope that DSWD continues this program.

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa dagdag ayudang naibigay ng programang Unconditional Cash Transfer. Ito ay malaking tulong sa aming pangangailangan at gastusin sa pang araw-araw. Sana ay marami pang matulungan ang ating gobyerno lalong lalo na ang mga mahihirap na katulad namin na apektado ng pagtaas ng mga bilihin”, said Mr. Leo Constantino  Loreno, one of the beneficiaries of the program.

Regional Director Vincent Andrew T. Leyson also recognized the government employees who render extra hours to deliver the grants to the beneficiaries through simultaneous pay-outs.

The release of the UCT cash subsidy to elgible households in NCR will be conducted until the end of the year.The Unconditional Cash Transfer program aims to ease the economic strain of the TRAIN law on the poor through the provision of cash subsidies.###

The Local Government of Mandaluyong was awarded as the winner in the first Regional Search for Pantawid Pamilya Best Gulayan sa Barangay 2018 conducted by the Department of Social Development and Welfare National Capital Region (DSWD-NCR).

The Local Government of Pasay was awarded the 4th runner-up while the Local Government of Manila was awarded 3rd runner-up. The Local Government of Muntinlupa and Manila were awarded 2nd runner-up and 1st runner-up, respectively.

Assistant Regional Director for Operations Edna J. Sacedor and Mr. Joel D. Cam, Regional Program Coordinator of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program awarded the winners during the DSWD-NCR Field Office Flag Raising Ceremony on September 3, 2018. The top 5 Gulayan sa Barangay groups received a cash prize and a certificate of recognition.

The contest was open to all Pantawid Pamilya members from Local Government Units across the region. A desk validation of the submitted nominations was conducted by selected Pantawid Pamilya Regional Project Management Office focal officers who served as judges to the competition.

After the judges chose the top 5 Gulayan sa Barangay from all the LGU nominees, a field validation was conducted to visit the finalists’ gardens to ensure that data included in the documentation are accurate and to acquire information that was not included in the entry submission.

The communal gardens of the finalists were evaluated for their uniqueness, creativity and use of recyclable materials. The leadership and group cohesiveness of the group maintaining the Gulayan was also a criterion for the contest. The garden’s sustainability was another factor in determining the best Gulayan sa Barangay in the region.

The regional search aimed to showcase the establishment and the maintenance of the Gulayan sa Barangay of the Pantawid Pamilya members. The contest also aimed to underline the impact of the communal garden in their respective barangays in terms of contribution to nutrient sufficiency, food security, community development, and potential livelihood opportunities. It also encouraged members to be more involved, increase their awareness and sustain their interest in urban gardening.  ###

One of the notifiers visits the UCT program beneficiaries in Malabon City to inform them that they are eligible to receive the cash subsidy.

The National Household Targeting Office (NHTO) has started to notify beneficiaries in the National Capital Region who are eligible to receive cash grants under the Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) program on September 4, 2018.

Out of the 62,843 households validated in the National Capital Region, 22,180 households were deemed as eligible beneficiaries based on the validation which was conducted last April to May 2018. The selected Listahanan-identified households were informed by the NHTO’s field notifiers that they are UCT programs beneficiaries. Aside from this, the eligible households were also informed on the registration and the schedule of payout for their cash grant.

The validation and notification process is conducted through the combined efforts of the Local Government Units (LGUs) and the National Household Targeting Office while the payout which will be conducted is in close coordination with the Landbank of the Philippines.

DSWD-NCR Regional Director Vincent Andrew T. Leyson said, “We are grateful to the support given by our partner agencies in the implementation of this program. The efforts also of our notifiers are highly appreciated as they are the messengers of good news to our Listahanan-identified beneficiaries”.

The notification of eligible beneficiaries will be conducted by the NHTO until the end of September 2018.

The Unconditional Cash Transfer program is the tax subsidy included under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law. The UCT program aims to ease the economic shocks of the TRAIN law on the poor by providing eligible beneficiaries identified through the Listahanan database with cash subsidies.###