ILOILO — Mina best practice for this year is Ipon Challenge or the “Pera sa Kawayan”: Pag iipon tungo sa magandang kinabukasan.The main objective of the good practice is to cause the Pantawid beneficiaries  to be self reliant,educated on financial literacy and practice frugality.

The good practice is the answer to SWDI gaps on Social Security and access to savings and loans associations which most of Pantawid beneficiaries fell on level 1.  The Pantawid beneficiaries are encouraged to keep their own bamboo for them to drop a loosen change every day or P 200.00 every payout. Through this scheme, Pantawid beneficiaries were able to thrift some of their extra savings. As agreed, all beneficiaries will open their bamboos on December 2018 during their annual Christmas party.

This project does not involve a big budgetary requirement but only the beneficiaries’ cooperation and commitment to support the project. This implementation of this project was started in January this year.  Institutional arrangement has been made with the private local bank once beneficiaries open a savings account with them. An incentive preferably in the form of groceries will be given to beneficiaries with highest savings.//dswd/Iloilo POO