CAGAYAN VALLEY – About 4,333 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) has successfully graduated from the program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 2 (DSWDFO2) in 2023.
The agency conducted 50 graduation ceremonies dubbed as Pammadayaw na Paggradua na Pantawid Pamilya, with 22 municipalities in Isabela, 19 in Cagayan, six in Nueva Vizcaya, two in Quirino and one regional graduation.
From as far as the coastal areas of Isabela in Palanan, Maconacon and Divilican, Isabela to the mountainous area of Kasibu and Kayapa in Nueva Vizcaya, the agency through its Provincial and Municipal Operations Offices spearheaded the graduation ceremonies which recognized families who have reached self-sufficient level of well-being.
Regional Director Lucia Alan proudly shared that the such achievement is not just of the agency but is the totality of the efforts of the Local Government Units, National Government Agencies, Civil Society Organizations and other partner stakeholders.
“We have witnessed the impact of the program not just in the improvement of their well-being but also in the successes of the 4Ps children who have made mark in their studies and career. It just goes to show that 4Ps is not just a dole out program, but it has been a transformative tool in uplifiting lives and eradicating poverty,” she emphasized.
During the graduation, around 611 4Ps children and Expanded Student’s Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA) beneficiaries who have successfully completed their tertiary education, passed their respective examinations and are now professionals were also given recognition.
Aaron Santiago, a former ESGPPA beneficiary from Penablanca, Cagayan, expressed how grateful he is for the program. He shared how he had to pause his education for a while so his younger siblings could puruse theirs. Thankfully, through the scholarship of the
program and with his perserverance, he was able to finish college.
“The support I’ve received through the 4Ps scholarship has been more than financial. It has been a support system that believes in my potential. The financial assistance provided by the government not only paved the way for my academic success but also instilled in me a sense of responsibility to give back to my community,” he shared.
He is currently working at the Land Bank of the Philippines as Loan Operations Assistant which he deemed as a testament to the government’s investment in its youth and the power of education to unlock doors of opportunity.
Meanwhile, LGUs promised continued support to the exiting households through provision of financial assistance for livelihood and startup businesses, inclusion in the other programs and services of the government, and provision of family food packs and other support.
4Ps is a human development measure of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor, to improve the health, nutrition, and the education of children aged 0-18.