Tuguegarao City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development conducted a DSWD-USL Research Dissemination Forum at the University of Saint Louis, Tuguegarao City on March 28, 2017.

 

The fora focused on the research conducted by selected faculty from the University of Saint Louis (USL) entitled “Compliance to Pantawid Pamilya Conditionalities of Beneficiaries in Cagayan: Issues and Challenges.”

 

The activity aimed in opening a channel for the discussion of the results of the study, the issues and challenges observed by the researchers during the Family Development Sessions, one-on-one interviews and group discussions with the different stakeholders of the Pantawid Pamilya program.

 

Participants of the activity included the members of the Municipal Action Team (MAT) of the five municipalities where the study was conducted, representatives from the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), representatives of Area Based Standards Network (ABSNeT), and DSWD staff.

 

The study utilized the interpretative phenomenological analysis in understanding the position and the experiences of the Pantawid beneficiaries which caused their low compliance and/or grievances to the conditions set forth by the program.

 

The challenges identified were categorized into three – educational, health and in the conduct of family development sessions – discussing on personal fears or preferences of the population, observations on case management and other external factors.

“On the results of the study that the beneficiaries are reluctant to undergo check-up is because of the fear of finding out any asymptomatic disease, and in fact this is also true for DSWD staff, this can be another topic to explore in a more comprehensive research,” Ms. Dulcenea DelaCruz remarked during the open forum. “Actually, this study will be a basis for another study which will be an impact study,” she added.

xxx written by Jeanet Antolin-Lozano