BUTUAN CITY – Program partners from various National Government Agencies (NGAs) attended the 2nd Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) meeting of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) on June 25, 2019 at the Watergate Hotel.

One of the meeting highlights was the salient features of Republic Act 11310 or 4Ps Act discussed by Atty. Geramer Durato, Legal Unit head of DSWD-Caraga.

The law, recently signed by PRRD on April 17, “aims to provide financial aid to the poor households that meet certain qualifications to improve the health, nutrition, and education aspect of their lives.” Some changes from the current guidelines, especially on the amount of cash grants, were indicated in the Act.

The draft Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Data Sharing was also discussed by Mr. Clark Aries Ingles, Pantawid LGU focal person.

“This document described the specific responsibilities of, and actions to be taken by, each of the parties so that our goals may be accomplished pursuant to RA 10173, data sharing protocol of the Department and other statutory requirements,” Ingles said.

Visitors from the NPMO-Compliance Verification Division also presented the Pantawid Pamilya Compliance wherein hotline numbers were shown in relation to the Short Messaging Service (SMS)-based facility. Through text messaging, beneficiaries would have direct access to their records in the database.

Other discussions included were the 1st Semester Updates, Findings on Health and Education Facility Visits, Code 25 Implementation Status, and Bata Balik Eskwela Updates. The meeting was presided by Ms. Crislea D. Celeste, regional program coordinator of 4Ps. ###(JOANA RICA P. MILLAMA/Social Marketing Section/DSWD Field Office Caraga)