P296-M fund for Ecija's poor

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga — Department of Social Welfare and Development Assistant Secretary Florita Villar has allotted P296 million for the implementation of its various pro-poor programs in the province of Nueva Ecija and other areas in Central Luzon.

Villar personally handed the check to Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali during last week’s convergence road show in Palayan City.

Mrs. Evelyn Manalo DSWD Regional information officer disclosed that P172.2 million of the said figure has been allocated for 11,482 household beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya; P3.5 million for 750 recipients of the Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K); P11.7 million for 1,950 beneficiaries of the Social Pension; P47.6 million for 28,744 beneficiaries of the Supplemental Feeding in Day Care Centers program and P61.3 million for 19,510 famer and fisher folk recipients of the Cash-for-Work Program.

Manalo said Pantawid Pamilya provides cash grants of P1,400 per month during school months (June-March) and P500 per month during non-school months (April-May) to household beneficiaries as long as they comply with certain conditions like the regular visit of children in health centers to avail immunization and maintenance of a class attendance rate of at least 85 percent per month for those who are enrolled in day care centers or schools.

The SEA-K, on the other hand, is a capability-building program that seeks to enhance the skills of poor families through the organization of community-based associations for entrepreneurial development.

SEA-K group projects range from food processing (tocino, longganisa) to bag making.

Manalo added that the Social Pension program provides a monthly stipend of P500 to indigent Senior Citizens aged 77 years old and above who are not receiving any pension, without any permanent source of income and have no regular support from relatives while the Supplement Feeding program gives nutritious food to day care children.