DSWD celebrates success of families in Pugay Tagumpay ceremonies

A total of 896 family-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in the CALABARZON region graduated as program-beneficiaries last December 3 in simultaneous Pugay Tagumpay ceremonies conducted in 26 locations in the region.

The said family-beneficiaries are those who were assessed to have an improved level of well-being and those who have maximized the benefits of the program.

In the Pantawid Pamilya implementation, beneficiaries may graduate or exit from the program if they have experienced an improved level of well-being or if the last monitored child-beneficiary in the family reaches 18 years old or graduate from senior high school, whichever comes first.

From December 2020, there are around 3,500 family-beneficiaries who graduated from the program.

In his message to the graduates, DSWD Undersecretary Adonis P. Sulit acknowledged the Pantawid Pamilya family-beneficiaries and thanked them for working with the Department in improving their lives through the proper utilization of the benefits from the program including the cash grants and the learning from the monthly Family Development Sessions.

“Ang pagtatapos din ng mga benepisyaryo ay produkto ng ilang taong pagtutulungan nating lahat sa pagpapatupad ng Pantawid Pamilya upang mabigyan kayo ng mas magandang bukas,” shared Usec Sulit, who also acknowledged the help of the local government units, other national government agencies, civil society organizations and other partners in the success of the beneficiaries.

‘Taas-Noong Nakatawid’

Lea Capuno, a graduate from Brgy. Nangkaan in Mataasnakahoy, Batangas Province, shared that her family is ready to stand on their own.

“Kaya na po ng pamilya namin, malaki na po ang naitulong sa amin ng programa,” shared Capuno, who voluntarily waived their being a beneficiary of the program.

Capuno’s family has been a beneficiary since 2009 and based on the Department’s assessment, has reached self-sufficiency. Three of her children are already college graduates and are helping the family with the finances including the education of two of the younger children.

Like Capuno, beneficiary Magdalena Garcia from Brgy. Sto. Niño in Biñan City is grateful to the program.

In her testimony during the graduation ceremony, Garcia emphasized the value of children’s education in improving the lives of poor families like them.

“Para po doon sa mga hindi hindi pa na-graduate, hikayatin n’yo po ang inyong mga anak na mag-aral kasi malaki po ang makukuha na tulong natin sa 4Ps. At doon po sa mga gagraduate na, meron naman po tayong mga natutunan lalo na sa livelihood na p’wede nating gamitin kahit wala na tayo sa programa,” shared Garcia.

Strengthened partnership with LGUs

During the ceremony, DSWD Field Office IV-A Regional Director Marcelo Nicomedes Castillo presented the graduates and endorsed them to their respective local government units (LGUs).

With the exit of these family-beneficiaries from the program, the DSWD assures the graduates of continued support from the government, particularly the LGU.

“Ang inyo pong pag-exit sa programa ay hindi nangangahulugang wala na kayong makukuhang tulong sa pamahalaan. Sa tulong ng mga lokal na pamahalaan ay nabubuo na ang mga programa at serbisyo na maaari n’yong ma-access kung kakailanganin,” shared Dir. Gemma Gabuya, National Program Director of the Pantawid Pamilyang PIlipino Program, in her message to the beneficiaries.

As part of the graduation of the beneficiaries, the DSWD has turned over the exit plans of each family-beneficiary to their respective local government units for the provision of necessary aftercare services.

For instance, the Local Government of Naic has provided PhP10,000 loan as livelihood assistance to their 50 graduates during the ceremony.

In the municipality of Lucban, Quezon, on the other hand, the LGU executed an Executive Order on the provision of aftercare programs and services for the family-beneficiaries who graduated from the program. Some of the programs and services include continuous Family and Youth Development Sessions and access to financial assistance and engagement of families in sectoral groups and organizations.#