THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) maintained that only its national and regional offices can delist a beneficiary of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

This after several reports reached the DSWD that some political candidates were using the Pantawid Pamilya to gain leverage especially with the upcoming elections. Through DSWD’s Grievance Redress System, a hotline installed for people to lodge complaints and reports concerning the implementation of Pantawid Pamilya, beneficiaries have been giving feedback that some politicians were allegedly claiming to have the authority to enlist and delist them from the Program.

“Walang karapatan ang kahit sino na mag-alis ng pangalan. Ang may karapatan lang ay ang DSWD Regional Office at National Office. DSWD lang ang may karapatang tanggalin ang benepisaryo sa Pantawid Pamilya kung hindi siya susunod sa mga itinakdang kondisyon (No one has the right to delist a beneficiary. Only the DSWD Regional and National Office are authorized to do so. Only DSWD has the right to delist a beneficiary is he/she does not comply with the conditions),” stressed DSWD Secretary Corazon J. Soliman.

In Western Visayas, DSWD Field Office VI Assistant Regional Director Joel P. Galicia warned Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries not to fall prey to threats of people using the Program. He added that re-orientation on the process of selection and removal of beneficiaries is being conducted in barangay assemblies to forewarn the beneficiaries that their non-compliance to Program conditions would cause their suspension of benefits on health, nutrition and education.

The DSWD has also launched a nationwide advocacy campaign dubbed as “Bawal ang Epal Dito” to protect the Program from undue politicking. The campaign aims to protect the beneficiaries from baseless threats of removal from Pantawid Pamilya and external pressures if they will not support political entities in the upcoming elections. It also aims to empower the beneficiaries to know their rights and to be vigilant of individuals and/or groups who plan to use the Program for their personal agenda.

Pantawid Pamilya is a human development program of the national government that provides cash assistance to poor households with children aged 14 years old and below. Qualified beneficiaries receive P500 per month for health and nutrition, and P300 per school month for education per child. A maximum of three children per household are covered by the Program.

Beneficiaries, however, need to comply with the conditions to avail of the cash grant. These conditions include availing of regular health care services, posting at least 85% school attendance among 3-14 years old children, and attendance to Family Development Sessions (FDS).

As of January 2013, Pantawid Pamilya covers 3,843,502 households in 17 regions nationwide. Of this, 296,365 households are covered in Region VI. (DSWD6/Alma L. Jornadal)