Regional Directors of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) recently held a three-day Inter-agency Regional Directors Consultation Workshop at Bayview Park Hotel Manila. The conference aims to strengthen the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program also widely known as the Philippine conditional cash transfer (CCT).
DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano Soliman, during the dialogue, lauded the contribution of partner agencies including the local government units and civil society organizations in ensuring that Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program achieves its goal of keeping children in school and keeping them healthy.
Meanwhile, DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo said, “CCT can remain a national program implemented in coordination with LGUs and the DILG acts as bridge between the national government and local chief executives.”
On education, DepEd Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro said that they have allocated funds to further close the gaps in education supply side.
“We also now have the Learners Reference Number for all students enrolled in the public school system. All Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries are tagged in our database. It will soon be easier to monitor and track the attendance of the children,” Sec Luistro said.
DOH Secretary Enrique T. Ona committed for the mobilization of the Community Health Teams (CHTs) to ensure the health of beneficiaries particularly of women and children.
“The Community Health Team (CHT) are mobilized not only to check on the health of beneficiaries but also to provide information on good health practices particularly for pregnant women and children,” said Sec. Ona.
The dialogue was also attended by Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindadano (ARMM) OIC Vice Governor Hadja Bainon Karon and ARMM DOH Secretary Dr. Kadil Sinolinding Jr.
The three-day workshop focused on updates on program implementation, issues and concerns encountered by implementing regions, and commitments from participating agencies on how to resolve identified concerns.
DSWD is the primary implementing agency of the Pantawid Pamilya and the three other national agencies play important roles in the program implementation. DepEd helps in monitoring the compliance of beneficiaries in terms of the 85% attendance requirement. DOH provides health services for the children and pregnant women and helps in monitoring their compliance to health conditions. Lastly, DILG helps in the provision of supply side requirements such as additional human resources, and health and educational facilities.
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a rights-based social protection program that aims to prevent the intergenerational cycle of poverty by ensuring that 3-14 years old children go to day care centers and schools with 85% minimum attendance and pregnant women and 0-14 years old children get basic health services. By investing in the human capital of the poor, it is hoped that they are assured of a better future and will be equipped with necessary skills to contribute to their community and to the growth of country as a whole.