By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Realizing the inconvenience of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries lining before the automated teller machines (ATMs), the Department of Social Welfare and Development on Friday said it will now begin to utilize e-wallets.

The DSWD said in a statement that the use of e-wallets would be more helpful to beneficiaries located in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA), as opposed to ATMs that they would have to visit in town.

“The wave of the future is cashless transactions. This is an upgrade from the 4Ps beneficiaries basic deposit accounts from the current automated teller machine (ATM) cards to electronic or digital wallets,” DSWD Spokesperson and Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez announced.

It was learned that from February 24 to February 29, the DSWD also conducted Digital Financial Literacy Programs, in partnership with the Landbank of the Philippines (LBP); Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Foundation; Ayala Foundation; GCash; and Pay Maya, in several regions l for their beneficiaries in preparation for the 4Ps e-wallet migration.

“Since 2019, the DSWD has been embarking on financial inclusion initiatives to ensure that all 4Ps beneficiaries have fully functioning transaction accounts that they can utilize to help them save money and empower them to become more financially independent,” Lopez quipped.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

Poverty continues to persist two years after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is evident from the official data provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which shows that a total of 761,150 households remain on the list of beneficiaries for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

This was revealed on Tuesday, October 31, by the agency following a thorough review.

“At ang ibig sabihin po nito ay, iyon nga po, sila po ay mare-retain sa 4Ps program. Ang nakita pong dahilan ng departamento ay ang impact po ng pandemic,” DSWD Undersecretary Edu Punay said in an interview over PTV 4’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon hosted by Nina Corpuz.

Maharlika NuMedia gathered that DSWD has reviewed around 1.1 million households which benefited from 4Ps.
A total of 339,660 families were assessed as self-sufficient and recommended for graduation or exit from the program.

“Ang ginagawa po dito sa mga graduations po natin, sila po ay ini-endorse sa mga local government units at binibigyan din natin ng mga iba’t ibang assistance or mga programa tulad ng Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) para matulungan pa rin sila kahit wala na sila sa 4Ps program po ay sila’y tuluy-tuloy na bibigyan ng assistance ng pamahalaan,” Punay added.

The government’s 4Ps program aims to help poor families get out of poverty by providing them with financial assistance if they meet certain conditions.

(ai/mnm)

Image Courtesy of: Senate of the Philippines

By: Junex Doronio

DESPITE YEARS OF SERVICE, job order and contract of service (Jocos) employees have not been given regular status by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which is now on the hot seat for hiring several undersecretaries and assistant secretaries who have high salaries and other perks and privileges.

“There are too many [contractual employees] at the DSWD up to now. Some of them have been there for 15 years and they’re still contractual. Have pity on them. Maybe we can make them regular employees,” Tulfo told DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian during the hearing on Wednesday, September 20, conducted by the Senate Committee on Finance on the proposed P207 million budget of the DSWD for 2024.

Of the 37,000 DSWD employees, 8,336 are Jocos.

Gatchalian sheepishly answered that the DSWD would need additional funds to regularize contractual workers.

He also claimed that all undersecretaries and assistant secretaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) had been asked to submit their courtesy resignations.

However, he has yet to act on the resignations because they are busy attending budget hearings in Congress.

Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go has asked why there are so many undersecretaries and assistant secretaries at the DSWD.

The DSWD chief said that the officials will undergo evaluation for the agency’s streamlining of the operations.

Tulfo also noted the agency’s lack of vehicles, especially those delivering pay-out money for Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) beneficiaries.

He said this exposed the employees to constant danger.

Gatchalian said that the department has already submitted numerous requests for plantilla positions to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). (ai/mnm)