Field Office Caraga

BUTUAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development Caraga Region is presently conducting a special validation in the seven (7) municipalities of the Province of Dinagat Islands and nine (9) municipalities of Siargao Island since January 15 until February 15, 2012.

The special validation is done to ensure that all potentially poor households are assessed and given the chance to be part of the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) database.  The database is now used as the basis for the selection of potential recipients of social protection programs and services of the national government.

All national government agencies are directed to use the NHTS-PR as a mechanism in identifying beneficiaries of the social protection programs of the government by virtue of Executive Order 867.

The special validation covers the households which were not visited by enumerators in 2009 assessments.

Meanwhile, the Field Office has conducted the data validation of indigenous peoples and informal sector that are included in the database of NHTSPR during the assessment held in 2009-2010 to know what IP group they belong so that it can be included in the list.

BUTUAN CITY - A total of 2,112 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries received their cash cards in January 2012. Recipients are the1,000 beneficiaries from Surigao City and 1,112 from Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte.

The cash cards distribution was participated by the local chief executives of both LGUs, barangay captains, Local Government Unit (LGU) officials and some Pantawid Pamilya staff.

With the cash card, Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary can now draw their cash grnats from the bank hassle-free.

DSWD Regional Director, Mercedita P. Jabagat in her message in Surigao City told the beneficiaries to spend the money on its intended purposes, especially in health, nutrition and their children’s education, while Surigao City Mayor Ernesto Matugas thanked the Department and the present administration for adopting the program. Mayor Matugas also urged the beneficiaries to comply with the program conditions because it is a way of showing gratitude to the program. He also reminded the beneficiaries that Pantawid Pamilya is only a five-year program and they should judiciously manage the grants and make the most of it for them to get out from their present situation. Kitcharao Mayor Hon. Jenry E. Montante exhorted the beneficiaries to continuously provide their children’s needs especially in health and education even if the program has ended.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is one of the poverty reduction strategies of the government that provides cash grants to its beneficiaries as long as they will comply with the conditions set by the program. ### (Social Marketing Unit)

Butuan City – The 2011 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Accomplishment Report of Caraga Region showed that compliance rate of Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries to the conditions on health, education and Family Development Session (FDS) has increased from January 2011 to October 2011.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) conducts Compliance Verification conducted every two months.

To monitor the beneficiaries' compliance of the conditions set by the program, a Compliance Verification System (CVS) was installed. The DSWD conducted series of consultations with partner agencies to strengthen the compliance monitoring system on education and health were conducted.

Butuan City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga is expected to disburse a total of Php161,968,531.62 in the first two quarters of this year through its anti-poverty program called KALAHI-CIDSS, it was learned Monday, January 16.

The total amount comes from the World Bank loan of the government given to the region amounting to Php137,280,487.93 and an additional Php24,688,043.69 from the local cash contribution (LCC) of the implementing local government units (LGUs).

According to Assistant Regional Director and Regional Project Manager, Mita G. Lim, the regional office will disburse this amount through tranches in the community accounts of the barangays.

Moreover, the total cash grant will be disbursed to a total of 136 sub-projects of the 15 partner LGUs throughout the region. Two (2) LGUs are implementing KALAHI-CIDSS Additional Financing while 13 LGUs are currently implementing the LGU-led Makamasang Tugon.

These areas are Veruela, Esperanza, La Paz, San Luis, and Sibagat in Agusan del Sur; Carmen and Jabonga in Agusan del Norte; Tagbina, Marihatag, Hinatuan, Bayabas, and San Miguel in Surigao del Sur; and Pilar and Socorro in Surigao del Norte.

After achieving a hundred percent fund disbursement last year, the regional project management office (RPMO) is hoping to do the same in the middle of the year. ### (Social Marketing Unit)