The Department of Social Welfare and Development continues to clarify that the rice subsidy given to its 4Ps beneficiaries is in the form of cash which is in compliance with the 2017 GAA provision. The subsidy is released together with the cash grants during scheduled payouts to all Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Pantawid Pamilya) beneficiaries.

In an isolated report from Cebu this June 2017, packs of rice were said to have been distributed after the beneficiaries received their rice subsidy and grants in Sta. Fe in Bantayan Island, Cebu. Six of the beneficiaries claimed that they fell ill after consuming the rice supposedly distributed through the program. Soon as it was reported, the National Food Authority (NFA) and DSWD conducted their own investigations about the matter.

Leah Quintana, information officer of DSWD Field Office 7 said that they didn’t and do not distribute any rice to the Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries. She emphasized that the rice subsidy, together with the regular cash grants, are received by the beneficiaries only during the scheduled payouts thru their ATM cash cards or directly from the Landbank accredited conduits.

The NFA which also conducted its own investigations said that the samples it took were real rice. It also said that the hoax or fake news about ‘fake’ rice was made to take advantage of rice retailers. The public is also urged not to immediately believe with reports about fake rice as posted on social media.

A total of P600 per month is given to active and compliant beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya as this was the commitment made by President Duterte during his first SONA last July 2016. Through the regular monthly Family Development Sessions conducted by the program, beneficiaries are regularly reminded that they are free to choose where to buy rice, but should always be vigilant against attempts of various parties to exploit the subsidy. They are also advised to use the rice subsidy/cash grant properly.

Pantawid Pamilya is only one of the poverty reduction strategies of the national government implemented by the DSWD, which focuses on human capital investment through provision of health and education cash grants to eligible poor households with children 0-18 years old, with the primary aim to break the intergenerational poverty cycle. It is the priority of DSWD to provide effective, caring and immediate delivery of social protection services to the poor and the needy particularly the PWDs, senior citizens, children and women and other vulnerable sectors. All DSWD offices will ensure that such services will be given to them properly and timely when they needed it most.