Butuan City- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Caraga through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program strengthens the implementation of Modified Conditional Cash Transfer for Indigenous People (MCCT-IP).
This project under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program was created for the Indigenous People (IP) in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA.
MCCT-IP as a program is driven with its three main goals; (1) to empower, (2) to promote, (3) and protect from any unavoidable adverse effects caused by the development process.
On its implementation, MCCT-IP uses the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) strategy but with modifications in terms of processes in targeting, conditionalities, package of benefits, interventions and modes of implementation. The project also employs holistic approach of community organizing.
‘This project requires close coordination with the tribal chieftains to ensure that cultural integrity remains while the project is implemented,” Regional Director Minda B. Brigoli, CESO III said.
On the identification of potential beneficiaries, community facilitators consider the following; Indigenous peoples living outside or inside their ancestral domains particularly those with no or limited access to social services, IP families with children aged 0-18 years old and/or pregnant member of the family at the time of selection, and IPs who are vulnerable and disadvantaged based on the assessment done by the community facilitators.
“Because IP plays a significant part in our community. Like those partner-beneficiaries belong to the regular CCT, MCCT-IP-beneficiaries deserve to receive equal opportunities. And we do it by giving them support services interventions like working hand in hand with them on livelihood activities, capability building training, promotion of IP rights, or any collective engagement that will enhance self-determination, and through community family development sessions,” Brigoli added.
MCCT-IP for GIDA is arranged with the following institutions, DSWD with the DOH, DepEd, NCIP, DILG, NAPC and qualified CSOs. (###DSWDFOCaraga###)