DON’T BE FOOLED: Politicos have no say in 4Ps, beneficiaries told

ILOILO City – Beneficiaries should not believe politicians who threaten to remove them from the government’s conditional cash transfer program, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) has nothing to do with politics, stressed Regional Director Rebecca Geamala.

“DSWD is apolitical, wala kita political color. For as long as the 4Ps’ conditions are met, beneficiaries will remain in the program,” said Geamala.

The director was reacting to reports that some politicians were making it appear they have a say on who should remain and be removed from the 4Ps, thereby making it a tool to gather support for the upcoming midterm elections.

“That’s not true. Ang aton Pantawid Pamilya program implementation has nothing to do with politics,” said Geamala.

No congressman, mayor or political party can delist or add beneficiaries to the 4Ps, she stressed.

Only DSWD can do that and for such, a “Grievance Redress System” is being followed, said Geamala.

“Meaning to say, wala sang political party nga makasiling nga ‘kon indi kamo magboto sa amon, kakason namon kamo sa listahan,’” the director clarified.

Geamala acknowledged the need for DSWD to intensify its information dissemination campaign on the 4Ps.

“Sa Social Pension sa mga tigulang, may fear man sila nga kon indi sila mag-attend sa mga meeting-meeting kakason sila as pensioners. Indi ina matuod,” she stressed.

In fact, all beneficiaries of DSWD’s programs, including the SLP (Sustainable Livelihood Program), supplementary feeding and Kalahi-CIDDS, “nobody can touch them,” said Geamala.

“The beneficiaries, regardless of their political leanings, should not fear losing their monthly grants this election season. They could only lose them if wala sila naga-comply sang mga conditions naton,” she clarified.

These are the conditions that 4Ps household-beneficiaries must fulfill:

* Pregnant women must avail pre- and post-natal care, and be attended during childbirth by a trained professional;

* Parents or guardians must attend the family development sessions, which include topics on responsible parenting, health, and nutrition;

* Children aged 0-5 must receive regular preventive health check-ups and vaccines;

* Children aged 6-14 must receive deworming pills twice a year; and

* Children-beneficiaries aged 3-18 must enroll in school, and maintain an attendance of at least 85 percent of class days every month.

Geamala said politicos peddling lies about the 4Ps and threatening the beneficiaries may be charged before the Office of the Ombudsman or complained at the Department of Interior and Local Government “kon may mag-witness.”

The DSWD director also said no politician should claim that the 4Ps funds were from them.

The department’s budget comes from the General Appropriations Act, she said./PN