Butuan City– The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) together with the Landbank of the Philippines Butuan City branch released cash grants to 6, 411 Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program beneficiaries of Butuan City on March March 26, 2011 at Butuan City Provincial Covered Courts.

Present in the said activity were DSWD Regional Director Mercedita P. Jabagat; LBP Butuan city branch manager Mr. Norberto Moneva Jr. with other LBP tellers; Counselor Erwin Dano, chairperson of the city Social Services; Assistant Social Welfare and Development Officer (CSWDO) Mr. Guilberto Enriquez; Ptr. Charles Prior, head of the Moral Recovery Program and barangay captains of the 38 Pantawid Pamilya barangays of Butuan City.

Director Jabagat, in her message, encouraged the beneficiaries to spend their cash grants wisely especially on the needs of their children, while Ptr. Prior offered to give lectures on how to improve their family ties during Family Development Sessions (FDS).

Marigold Herenia, 21 years old, a mother of 3 and is now 9 months pregnant from barangay De Oro, Butuan City was so happy upon receiving her Pantawid Pamilya cash grant. “Malipayon kaayo ko ma’am kay naa na koy pangdugang sa akong naipon para sa akong pagpanganak karon nga bulan (I am so happy because I can use portion of the cash grant for the delivery of my baby this month),” says Herenia while stroking her belly. The cash grants that she received will also help her in buying medicines for her 4 year old son, Junmar, who suffered epilepsy that affects his speech and mobility.

Pantawid Pamilya in Butuan City started on January 2011 covering 38 barangays with 6,593 registered beneficiaries.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is one of the government’s flagship program is poverty reduction. It provides cash grants to the poorest households with a maximum of 1,400.00 per month provided that they will comply with the given conditionalities. # # #  (Social Marketing Unit)