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4Ps beneficiaries in Mimaropa, C. Visayas among new engineers

By Zaldy De Layola

May 3, 2023, 7:49 pm

MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday announced that beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Mimaropa and Central Visayas were among the successful board passers of the 2023 Civil Engineers Licensure Examinations.

Engr. Jiazel C. Mabunga, a 23-year-old daughter of a carpenter from Romblon, was a former 4Ps monitored child and had to live away from her family while studying in Manila.

Due to poverty and limited resources of the Mabunga family, Jiazel and her four siblings cannot attend school at the same time.

“Noong wala pa kami sa 4Ps, hindi talaga kaya na mapagsabay kaming magkakapatid sa pag-aaral. Kaya’t mayroong nagpaubaya at nagsakripisyo na huminto sa pag-aaral” (When our household was not yet a beneficiary of 4Ps, it wasn't really possible for me and my siblings to study at the same time. Someone had to stop and sacrifice),” Jiazel narrated.

Through the financial assistance from 4Ps and the small earnings of her father and her mother who worked as a house helper, Jiazel was able to finish her studies at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

Upon learning that she passed the licensure examinations for civil engineers, the DSWD commended Jiazel and her family for their contribution to the realization of one of the program’s goals of improving the lives of poor Filipinos through education.

“Kaya’t maraming salamat sa Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program ng DSWD sa patuloy na pagtulong sa mga nangangailangan lalo na sa mga kabataang naghahangad na makapagtapos sa pag-aaral. Nawa po ay lumawak pa ang inyong programa upang marami pa ang matulungan (Thank you to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the DSWD for continuously helping those in need, especially young people who aspire to get education. May your program continue to expand so that more people can benefit from it), Jiazel said in response to the DSWD’s congratulatory note.

Jiazel advised 4Ps recipients to properly use the financial assistance from the government and to study hard to achieve their dreams.

The DSWD Field Office (FO) in Central Visayas also named the 4Ps beneficiaries who have successfully passed the licensure examinations.

They are Engrs. Dannice Clue P. Quijano and Kimberly N. Salpocial from Bohol, and Kenneth M. Regodo from Lapu-Lapu City, who were active 4Ps recipients.

Engr. Vianne Kaye H. Rodriguez, a former 4Ps beneficiary from Negros Oriental, also passed the examination.

4Ps is a flagship program of the national government on poverty reduction that provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor to improve the health, nutrition, and education of children.

To qualify for the program, identified poor and near-poor households or families must be willing to comply with the conditions and meet the following criteria: with 0-18 years old family member/s; and/or with a pregnant family member at the time of registration.

As of December 2022, the 4Ps program covers a total of 3,798,151 active household-beneficiaries across 41,676 barangays in the entire country.

Internship program

Meanwhile, the DSWD announced the opening of slots for the Government Internship Program (GIP), saying acceptance of applications will start from May 9 to 12 this year.

GIP is one of the components of the Kabataan 2000 program of the Philippine government, aiming to provide an opportunity for in-school youth to have hands-on experience of working in different government agencies.

A total of 75 slots will be available for each field office while 35 slots will be accommodated at the DSWD Central Office in Batasan, Quezon City.

The GIP application is open to college students aged 19 to 25 years old, preferably in their 3rd or 4th year.

To qualify for the program, the monthly family income of the applicants must not be more than the current poverty threshold of PHP12,082. They are also required to present their Covid-19 vaccination cards.

Qualified GIP participants will render 30 working days of service and will receive a stipend of 75 percent of the existing regional wage rate.

For information on the registration process at the Central Office in Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City, interested participants may check the official social media page of the DSWD.

Those who are interested to apply in any DSWD field offices, they may coordinate with their concerned local government units.

Through this program, participants would be able to gain valuable experience in public service which would be useful when they join the Philippine workforce in the future.

More AICS satellite office

The DSWD also announced that its Assistance in Crisis Situation (AICS) satellite office processing center at the Starmall Government Center in San Jose Del Monte (SJDM) City, Bulacan has officially started its operation on Wednesday.

Residents of SJDM City and other nearby towns in Bulacan need not travel to the Central Office of the DSWD in Quezon City to avail of the services under the AICS.

AICS serves as a social safety net or a stop-gap mechanism meant to support the recovery of individuals and families from unexpected crises such as illness or death of a family member, natural and man-made disasters and other crisis situations.

AICS Clients may avail of medical, hospitalization, transportation and burial assistance, among others.

The establishment of the satellite office was a joint undertaking of the DSWD and the city government of SJDM sealed through the signing of a memorandum of agreement that coincided with the opening ceremony.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, joined by SJDM City Mayor Arthur Robes and assisted by DSWD Field Office III Director Jonathan Dirain, led the opening ceremony of the satellite center.

Robes thanked the DSWD for providing clients from the city and nearby areas with easier access in seeking assistance.

“Secretary, I will assure you na hindi mahihirapan ang inyong Departamento dito, lahat ng pwede naming maging support sa DSWD, susuportahan ng city government (I will assure you that DSWD will get all the support from the city government),” Robes said.

Gatchalian said the DSWD equally supports the city government’s goal of assisting its constituents and of bringing the department closer to the people.

“Alam namin na paghihingi kayo ng tulong sa DSWD, lumuluwas pa kayo papunta sa Central Office sa Batasan, magastos, malayo kaya naisip namin ni Mayor Art na ang pinakamadali ay maglagay na tayo dito sa San Jose (We know that you had to commute to Central Office in Batasan when you need to request for assistance. It is far and costly, that is why, Mayor Art and I thought that putting up a satellite office in San Jose is the best remedy),” Gatchalian said.

He thanked Robes for the city government’s assistance in providing supplies to the satellite office and the Starmall management for giving free space for the satellite office.

On April 27, the DSWD also opened satellite offices in Monumento for clients coming from the Camanava areas, and in Baclaran, Parañaque for residents of southern Metro Manila. (PNA)

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