BY JENNIFER C. TILOS
NEGROS ORIENTAL, April 28 (PIA) -- Some 6,875
student-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program from
Negros Oriental completed their high school education this year.
According to Pantawid Pamilya information officer Phoebe Jen
Indino, there are 26,454 student-beneficiaries/graduates of the program for
Central Visayas. Of these 12,359 are from Cebu province; 6,875 from
Negros Oriental; 6,739 from Bohol and 481 from Siquijor.
To celebrate this milestone, the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD-7) will hold a PantawidPamilya Regional High School
Graduation today at Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.
This event dubbed as “PagtataposNyo, Tagumpayng Pilipino” aims to
recognize the graduating beneficiaries for their efforts to hurdle another
stage in their academic life.
Indino said about 250 student-beneficiaries, parent/guardian and
partner agencies such as Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education
Skills and Development Authority, Department of Education, Department of
Health, Department of Labor and Employment, and other private institutions are
expected to gather for the event.
The Philippine government’s Conditional Cash Transfer nationwide
has more than 300,000 children-beneficiaries that graduated this year.
“We are doing this event to provide a venue for these graduates to
be linked to opportunities like scholarships, internships, or part time jobs
that will help them realize their dream,” said Mercedita Jabagat, DSWD7
regional director.
Jabagat added this graduation is considered as a
memorable achievement not only for the program, but also for the
partner-beneficiaries who are now a step closer to a better life.
Earlier, DSWD hosted the first graduation event in the Philippine
International Convention Center (PICC) on April 9 with around 4,000
high school graduates from the National Capital Region (NCR) joining the
celebration.
The second leg of the event will be held at the Araneta Coliseum
on April 23 with around 14,000 students nationwide.
DSWD-7 will be sending four exemplary high school graduates for
the national event that include John Alvin Serenio of Jagna, Bohol; Marielyn
Aquino of Boljoon, Cebu; Joel Gabas Jr. of Bais City, Negros Oriental and Mary
Louisse Baroro of Lazi, Siquijor.
PantawidPamilya is a human development program that invests in the
health and education of poor households primarily those with children aged
0-18.
It provides cash grants to partner-beneficiaries who comply with
the conditions of sending their children to school, bringing them to health
centers for checkups, and attending the monthly Family Development Sessions
(FDS). (mbcn/jct/PIA7-Negros Oriental)