4Ps help transform habits of Samar beneficiaries

By Ninfa Iluminda B. Quirante

Tuesday 24th of April 2012

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, April 24 (PIA) -- The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) does not only temporary assistance to its beneficiaries but also ensures transformation of their character.

A beneficiary of the 4Ps, Loraina Mediana, 23, of Barangay Old Mahayag, Catbalogan City and a mother of two receives P 1,600 every two months. She said aside from education, health, and nutrition benefits, the program also helps them to change their character.

“Kasama sa kondisyon ng 4Ps ay bawal ang magsugal at mag-bisyo at dahil dito ngayon natutunan naming na mas maganda ang buhay ng hindi nagsusugal at hindi nagbibisyo (4Ps prohibits gambling and indulging in vices, we learned that life is better without vices),” she said.

“Malaki ang tulong talaga nito sa aming buhay at pagkatao. Malaki ang katipiran na nagawa nito na naidagdag para sa mga importanteng pangangailangan ng pamilya (The program is a big help to our life and character. The program allowed us to have big savings to be used for the important needs of the family),” she added.

Another 4Ps beneficiary and a father of five, fisherman Freddie Mura receives P2,800 every two months from Barangay San Roque, Catbalogan City.

“I thought at first that DSWD had planted agents in our barangay to arrest us while gambling, so I avoided it and discovered that we could save more if we do not gamble anymore,” Mura said in vernacular.

“Nahadlok ako bangin bawion ha amon an allowance nga ginhatag, pero tikang didto nahibaro kami hin pagsunod han kondisyones ngan kun kay anu kinahanglan namon sumunod (I fear that they will really forfeit the cash grant if we don’t abide by the conditions,” said Mura.

He and his family followed the conditions given to them and from there they have learned the importance why they needed to follow.

“Nakaupay ha amon ang pagsunod han kondisyones kay nahibaroan namon hin maupay nga pagkinabuhi hin waray bisyo ngan huwigo, dako nga katipiran ngan kalipayan kay may natitirok na yana bisan tala gudti. (Obeying the conditions made us feel better, we also found out that by avoiding vices, we spent less and we saved the little cash instead), " he said.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is a poverty reduction and social development strategy of the National Government that provides conditional cash grants to extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition, education. (LDL-PIA 8, Samar with A. Ebalde)