DSWD-ARMM to resume payout of 4Ps cash grants

• Source:http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=2&rid=843468
• Tuesday, January 5, 2016

(PNA), BNB/NYP/EOF

COTABATO CITY, Jan. 5 (PNA) –- The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DSWD-ARMM) on Tuesday announced the resumption of payout of cash grants to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Maguindanao after months of delay.

Rahima Datumanong Alba, DSWD-ARMM officer in charge, said DSWD-ARMM is not responsible for the unfortunate turn of events which led to the delay in the release of the said funds.

“The delay of the payment of grants for unpaid periods started when conduit Globe Exchange Inc. (GXI) failed to replenish the fund from the previous payouts to its merchant partner Loaded Marketing,” Alba said in a statement.

The suspension took effect in October last year.

Prior to this, DSWD-ARMM, through conduits GXI and Loaded Marketing, was paying Period 5 (September-October) and Period 6 (November-December) of 2014 as well as unpaid grants starting Period 6 of 2012.

Alba said the releases for Period 6, covering the months November-December in 2012 and for the same period in 2014 to 22 towns of Maguindanao, will start on Thursday.

Beneficiaries in the towns of Barira, Matanog, Parang, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Upi, Sultan Mastura, Sultan Kudarat, North Kabuntalan, South Upi, Mother Kabuntalan, and Datu Odin Sinsuat (Dinaig) in Maguindanao’s first district have been officially informed of the payout date.

Also expected to receive are 4Ps beneficiaries from the towns of Datu Hoffer, Shariff Saydona, Datu Unsay, Datu Saudi, Datu Piang, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Guindulungan, Talayan, Talitay, Pagalungan, and Pagagawan all in Maugindanao’s second district.

Based on DSWD-ARMM data, GXI has previously released a total of PHP373,852,600 cash grants to 120,286 beneficiaries in Maguindanao.

The Land Bank of the Philippines remained to be the authorized disbursement agent of the DSWD for the nationwide distribution of cash grants. It also authorized money transfer agents to deliver the grants.

To ensure accountability and to ensure beneficiaries get what is due them, Alba reiterated that DSWD-ARMM agency continuously monitors the distribution of cash grants across the region.

The 4Ps is the national government’s flagship poverty alleviation initiative, providing grants to the poorest households in order to improve health, nutrition and education of children.

Each beneficiary receives PHP500 per month per household for health and nutrition expenses and PHP300 per child every month for educational expenses. Households with three qualified children would receive a monthly grant amounting to PHP1,400.