The Department of Social Welfare and Development and the city government here signed a memorandum of agreement on Monday that will enhance the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) for those graduating from the program.
DSWD Regional Director Joselito Estember and Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas served as the main signatories of the agreement, and witnessed by DSWD division chief Belen Gebusion and City Social Welfare and Development officer Teresa Gelogo.
Treñas said the city government will assist Senior High School graduates from 4Ps households with their college scholarship.
“I asked RD (regional director) to review the number of graduates so that the LGU can prepare a special scholarship for them. This is part of our commitment to uplift the lives of the Ilonggos because we know education is the number one tool that can help uplift their lives,” she said in her message.
She added that the city government will also enhance the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) since they have noticed that some of their pilot projects are doing well.
“We will also augment the funds for our Sustainable Livelihood Program to be part of the upgrading of our beneficiaries. Long-term goal: we wanted to improve their lives and also their families,” Treñas added.
Estember said Iloilo City served as the pilot area for the implementation of the 4Ps in 2008, where there were almost 12,000 beneficiaries, and the renewed partnership ensures the enhanced implementation of the program for graduating or exiting families.
“Now, we have 5,076. Almost all of them graduated from the program. Either by natural attrition or they don’t have children, zero to 18 years old. But most of them graduated due to Level 3 status, or they have become self-sufficient,” he said in his message.
He said they are now waiting for the replacement of the beneficiaries who graduated from the program.
He added that the allocation will depend on the result of the community-based monitoring system that determines the number of indigent families. (PNA)