3,071 4Ps beneficiaries receive cash assistance

by Juliet B. Saley

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- Some 3,071 household beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program or the PantawidPamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in the province are scheduled to receive this month their first pay out over the counter at the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) here.

According to Joy Adaclog of the social welfare and development team here, these beneficiaries are from the municipalities of Bauko, Bontoc, Sabangan, Sagada andTadian including the additional beneficiaries of Besao who were included in the CCT expansion areas under set 5.

The beneficiaries will receive their cash assistance for the months of January to March this year, which varies depending on the number of qualified children they have.

Because of the big number of the beneficiaries, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in coordination with the Land Bank here, set a schedule for the release per municipality.

The municipality of Sabangan with 369 identified 4Ps beneficiaries are scheduled to receive their first pay out on March 7 while 7 the additional 47 beneficiaries of Besao and 248 beneficiaries of Sagada are scheduled on March 8.
The 1,213 beneficiaries from Bauko are divided into three groups- the 495 households are scheduled on March 21 while the 580 households and 138 households are set on Mar. 22 and Mar. 27, respectively. The 396 beneficiaries of Bontoc are scheduled on Mar. 23 and the 798 beneficiaries of Tadian on Mar. 29.

A household beneficiary can receive as much as P1,400 monthly, which includes P500 per month for nutrition and health expenses and P300 per month per child (with a maximum of 3 children per household) for educational expenses. Household-beneficiaries must comply with certain conditions to continue receiving the cash grants.

The conditions include: parents must ensure that their children attend school at least 85% of the time, and receive vaccinations and health care. Pregnant women must receive pre- and post-natal care and be attended during childbirth by a skilled health professional. Parents must attend responsible parenthood seminars, mother's classes, and parent effectiveness seminars. (