DSWD adds more families to its 4Ps beneficiary

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA City, Feb. 4 (PIA) -- The fight against poverty is gaining grounds as more and more beneficiaries are being listed as members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Progam being pushed by government to address the problem of poverty and reduce the number of poor families in various part of the country.

To date, Camarines Sur has already 99,619 household beneficiaries enrolled under the said program. This, after 16,037 more members were included in the list as part of the 2012 expansion of the program. Dubbed as Set 5, all cities and municipalities with Indigenous People or IPs and those LGUs which were not covered during the first sets have now been included.

These communities in the province of Camarines Sur include the municipalities of San Jose with 1,881 beneficiaries, Balatan -127; Canaman- 1,642; Magarao -1,238; Cabusao- 74; Milaor-1,660; Pili – 3,315; Baao – 2,594 and the City of Iriga with an additional 3,506 beneficiaries.

DSWD regional director Remia T. Tapispisan, working hand in hand with stakeholders, has been conducting a thorough evaluation of the program since 2008. Starting off with the top 20 poorest provinces based on the 2006 Official Poverty Statistics published by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), municipalities belonging to Set 1 became the recipients of the 4Ps in 2008.

Just a year after, Set 2 municipalities were selected based on the 2003 Small Area Estimates published by NSCB with 61.23 percent poverty incidence cut-off. In 2010, Set 3 reeled off and was based this time on the 2003 Small Area Estimates published by NSCB with 57.15 percent poverty incidence cut off. Then last year, set 4 was implemented. These include next in rank municipalities not included during the previous sets with 36.99 percent poverty incidence cut-off.

The program 4P has been reaping positive results altough sometimes marred by confusions besetting its own beneficiaries. Tapispisan has reiterated that deductions in the monthly cash grants of the recipients may be due to non compliance of the specified conditions stipulated in the program.

Failure to abide by the conditions concerning the health aspect which includes pre and post natal care of the newborn and failure to have birth delivery in the presence of a trained health professional is one valid ground to forfeit or deduct a portion of the cash grant to its recipient. Children ages 0-5 years old must also receive regular preventive health check up and vaccines among others.

Reasons can also include wrong entries in the data record which includes the incorrect birth date of the child, grade or school being attended and other pertinent information. Some families might have moved out of the original location to a municipality not covered by the said program.

Ms. Agnes Mayor, 4Ps Information Officer confirmed that the abovementioned circumstances are just few of the possible reasons why a certain cash grant is curtailed or not completely given to its beneficiary. To resolve confusions and misconceptions, DSWD is encouraging those with queries to fill up the Update Form and attach needed documents to correct the member’s information data.

Concerned households can also ask their municipal link or their local social worker. Questions can also be sent through their Text hotline 0918-9122813. (MAL/LSM-PIA Camarines Sur)

DepEd Sorsogon readies for mother-tongue based instruction this June 2012

SORSOGON CITY, Feb. 4 (PIA) -- Sorsogon City Schools Division Superintendent, Dr. Virgilio S. Real disclosed yesterday that the Department of Education (DepEd) here is now ready to implement the “Mother-tongue-based instruction” in classrooms, meaning, that the language of instruction will use the local dialect in schools starting grade one this school year June 2012.

Real said that the DepEd is now ready with books and other instructional materials that were translated into the local dialects of each town.

Real said that the use of the local dialect as the medium of instruction especially in grade one is a very effective way of teaching a child or pupil because then, they can easily interact with the teacher.

He also said that here in Sorsogon, two schools in Sorsogon East Central School have been pilot-tested and have shown a remarkable significant easy communication process where pupils were able to comprehend better and school achievement was remarkably high since the language used is the first language taught and learned at home.

He said that teachers did not have difficulty in communication or language barrier and that no interpretation or explanation is done as to unlock difficulties in communication.

Real said that the “lengua–franka or mother tongue based instruction” is also a very easy means for teacher-pupil learning process as full participation of pupils is expected since barriers for understanding are removed and teacher can explain better using the local language and examples can be given in more understandable language.(MAL/IAG, PIA-SORSOGON)