4Ps covers 24 towns, cities in Negros Occ.

Saturday, 07 August 2010 12:29

THE Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the flagship poverty reduction program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), now covers 24 cities and municipalities in Negros Occidental. DSWD6 Regional Director Minda B. Brigoli said 4Ps coverage constitutes to almost 75% of the total 32 city and municipal local government units in Negros Occidental province. 4Ps will be implemented in 15 municipalities and nine cities including Bacolod City. We hope to reach out and serve the poorest families through 4Ps to improve the health and nutrition of children and pregnant women and at the same time, increase the attendance rate of children for the entire duration of school days, said Brigoli. Areas covered by 4Ps include the cities of Bacolod, Sipalay, Kabankalan, San Carlos, Himamaylan, Escalante, Sagay, Cadiz and Bago. The municipalities covered are Moises Padilla, Cauayan, Don Salvador Benedicto, Calatrava, Candoni, Isabela, Toboso, La Castellana, Ilog, Murcia, Hinoba-an, Binalbagan, E.B. Magalona, Hinigaran and Manapla. Brigoli said Negros Occidental is known as the sugar capital of the country. Acres and acres of land have been devoted to sugarcane plantations. During planting and harvest seasons however, sacadas (sugarcane workers) troop to these sugarcane haciendas to work, usually bringing along their entire family. Most of the time, even young children are persuaded to work to take advantage of the opportunity to gain income. But this would also mean being absent in their schools, Brigoli said. Through 4Ps, we hope school attendance of children three to 14 years old will be sustained throughout the duration of classes because this is one requirement among the 4Ps beneficiaries, she added. 4Ps is a developmental program that invests in human capital by providing conditional cash grants to the poorest families. By availing of the conditional cash grants, the beneficiaries adhere to comply with 4Ps conditions. These include availing of pre and post natal care services among pregnant women; availing of preventive check-ups, vaccines and de-worming pills among children; maintaining at least 85% of school attendance among 3-14 year old children; and attending family development sessions among parents and guardians. Aside from Negros Occidental, 4Ps is also implemented in the provinces of Antique, Aklan, Iloilo, Capiz, Guimaras. (DSWD6 / Alma L. Jornadal)

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