DSWD strengthens partnership 

with LGUs in implementing 4Ps

By Elvira Bongosia

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) –The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 7 held a local chief executives consultation dialogue for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Bohol on July 5 to strengthens their partnership with the local government units (LGUs).

“This will be part of the Pantawid history in strengthening partnership with LGUs as our primary partners in implementing the Pantawid program towards eradicating poverty in the country,” said 4Ps national program manager Dir. Gemma Gabuya during her keynote speech.

She said the dialogue in Bohol is historic because it is the first LGU dialogue in the province.

It is the second at the regional level and the first at the national level.

Gabuya reiterated that the program is not dole-out but a complementary service, investing in human capital and providing conditional cash assistance to support the children’s education, health and nutritional needs with the support of the LGUs.

4Ps accomplishments, gains

Gabuya underscored the accomplishments and gains of the program over the past 15 years of implementation.

In Bohol, there are 63,988 active beneficiaries and 178,894 children being monitored, part of the 428,699 households in Central Visayas.

On human capital investment, the program has helped 11.4 million children to graduate in elementary schools since 2010.

A total of 3.2 million children were able to finish high school and 32,556 in college, while 6,394 passed in board exams with 49 of them in top ranks, data showed.

The program has produced Latin honors – 82 magna cum laude, 1,135 cum laude, and 132 with special distinctions.

In Bohol, a total of 28,561 have exited from the program due to self-sufficient household transitioned and endorsed to LGU and having no more 0-18 year-old children.

As to the level of well-being of the beneficiaries, 12,665 are self-sufficient, 43,641 in subsistence, and 7 in survival.

Around 15,222 children graduated from elementary, 13,409 in high school, and 10,027 from college.

It also hired 96 teachers, 495 Pantawid board passers and 1,187 exemplary Pantawid graduates.

There are 72,571 households being provided with conditional cash transfer.

The allocation for 4Ps in the province totaled P1.4 billion, with P488.75 million for education, P498.02 million for health, and P414.45 million for rice allowance.

The LGU showed support with 36 issued executive orders, 33 municipal ordinances, and 24 resolutions.

4Ps implementation by LGUs

Various LGUs presented their good practices on the implementation of the 4Ps during the consultation dialogue held at the Bohol Tropics Resort in Tagbilaran City.

The municipality of Pilar presented their good practices for Improved Level of Well-Being, the municipality of Batuan for Family Development Session Implementation, the municipality of Loon and the municipality of Loboc for Convergence Practices, the municipality of Loay for the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) Implementation, and the municipality of Getafe for the Grievance Redress System Initiative. (ECB/PIA7-Bohol)

The Bohol Local Chief Executives Consultation Dialogue conducted by DSWD-7 on July 5 aims to ensure responsive complementary services, specifically strategic and sustained public and private sector engagement, especially with local government units. The complementary services will aid in delivering packages and services to the 4Ps beneficiaries, which will ultimately help them achieve self-sufficient well-being. (ECB/PIA7-Bohol)