By
Leandria P. Pagunsan
DUMAGUETE CITY, October 18 (PIA) -- Identified as among the top 20 poorest
provinces in the Philippines, Negros Oriental has 68,708 active 4Ps
beneficiaries receiving a total grant of P2.7 billion in the form of education,
health and livelihood assistance from the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang
Pilipino Program (4Ps) since 2008 up to the present.
This was bared by
Department of Social Welfare & Development -7 (DSWD) assistant regional
director Shalaine Marie Lucero during the Kapihan sa PIA on the topic: "4Ps
Update" held recently at the Negros Oriental Provincial Convention Center.
Lucero emphasized that
the government's Pantawid program does not provide all the needs of poor
families, however, it has helped them cross the poverty threshold that improved
their living condition through their active participation and involvement in
the Pantawid program.
Such activities include
seminars on disaster preparedness, proper hygiene and family development
sessions that brought transformation in their behavior on why they are required
to avail of health services and encouraged their children to go to school.
Lucero said that there
is an almost perfect compliance rate in health services at 96-97%, education at
98% and family development sessions at 98%.
Implementation of the
sustainable livelihood programs in Negros Oriental engaged 4Ps beneficiaries in
skills training to improve their well-being and equip them with knowledge for
possible employment or start a business for them to become self sufficient.
Lucero added that set
1of the sustainable livelihood program was implemented in Negros Oriental in
2008 where 15,185 beneficiaries availed a total of 78 million grant poured in
as capital to start their own business.
The Trabahong Lansangan,
a partnership between DSWD and Department of Public Works & Highways (DPWH)
hired from 2011 to 2014 thirty two (32) male and female workers from Negros
Oriental for DPWH projects. Some of them were absorbed as permanent workers by
DPWH, Lucero said.
The Pantawid program
also assists children of 4Ps beneficiaries to go through college and finish a
degree with the student assistance program.
The amount of 30,000 per
semester will be paid directly to the school to pay for tuition fees, books and
other school requirements for deserving students.
Lucero informed that out
of the 2,093 college students assisted in Central Visayas, Negros Oriental has
two hundred twenty two (222) student-beneficiaries who availed of this program
at Negros Oriental State University (NORSU). (mbcn/lpp/PIA7-Negros Oriental)