4Ps grantees reach 29,877 in Aklan
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has released P118 million cash grants to its target beneficiaries in the implementation of the government’s poverty alleviation Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Aklan.

“4Ps is a poverty reduction strategy for extremely poor households with cash grants for their health, nutirition and education, especially for children zero to 14 years old,” said DSWD officer Elma Malbas in her report to Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez last Friday.

She said, under the program, the province of Aklan is classified under Set 2 areas of 4Ps implementation. The grantees from the municipalities of Libacao and Madalag were the initial beneficiaries of the 4Ps while Balete and Buruanga also received their financial grants from DSWD in 2010.

For the expansion of 4Ps this year, poor household beneficiaries from the towns of Malinao, Altavas, Batan, Tangalan, Ibajay, Makato, Banga, New Washington, Malay and Nabas were identified as 4Ps recipients.

Malbas said a total of P118.314 million was distributed to its 29,877 poor families for the Set 2 areas this year. Except for the towns of Banga, New Washington and Malay, the beneficiaries will receive their financial subsidies from the government in the second quarter or in the month of July.

The conditional cash transfer program is patterned in Latin America and was adopted by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as her flagship program to reduce poverty in the countryside.

To avail of monthly cash grants of P1,400 for health, nutrition and educational expenses for a household with three qualified children, pregnant women must avail of pre- and post-natal care and be attended during childbirth by skilled attendant, parents must attend responsible parenthood sessions, 0-5 years old children must receive regular preventive check-ups and vaccines, 3-5 years old children must attend day care or pre-school classes at least 85% of the time, 6-14 years old must be enrolled in elementary and high school at least 85% of the time, and 0-5 years old must receive deworming twice a year.