QUEZON CITY, July 2, (PIA) - - Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano Soliman clarified that more than 77,000 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino beneficiaries have been removed from the list since the program started in 2008.
Soliman said beneficiaries are delisted because of non-compliance to conditions set in the program and some were proven that they are not really qualified for the program.
Most of the delisted beneficiaries, Soliman said, were those who belong to the early years of implementation of the program.
Pantawid Pamilya established three major systems to organize its implementation systematically, address issues, and effectively ensure that the program objectives are met. These systems are the Compliance Verification System (CVS), Beneficiary Update System (BUS) and the Grievance Redress System (GRS). The CVS monitors compliance to conditionalities of the program, the BUS records and reports changes in the beneficiaries data while the GRS captures and resolves complaints and queries about the program.
“The GRS provides rapid and due process in resolving complaints, captures data on vulnerabilities in project implementation to effect refinements and improvements as well as empowers communities to ensure accountability in program implementation. The Department also conducts regular spot checks nationwide and consultations with different partner-agencies and organizations,” Soliman elaborated.
Soliman issued this clarification in reaction to recent reports citing a paper by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which stated “improvements are needed in the program’s targeting system to reduce an estimated leakage rate of 30%”.
Recently, ADB Philippine Country Director Richard Bolt, issued a clarification on the matter saying, “that the figure in the “Learning Lessons” publication of ADB’s Independent Evaluation Department is sourced from a 2013 study done by the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS), based on 2009 data and earlier poverty targeting practices. It is unfortunate that this reference was not clear. “
Bolt confirmed that the targeting issue raised in the PIDS report has been fully addressed by the DSWD and conditional cash transfer program and related ADB support.
“As such, we are confident that the issue raised is no longer the case in the ongoing conditional cash transfer program,” Bolt said.
He clarified that the Independent Evaluation report, drawing on impact evaluation, is strongly positive and supportive of the program and its achievements including improved health outcomes and increased school participation, as well as its likely effect on the employability of the beneficiaries, and their chances for breaking the inter-generational cycle of poverty.
For her part, DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman expressed appreciation to ADB for this clarification.
Pantawid Pamilya is on its seventh year of implementation having started in 2008. As of May 27, 2015, the program has expanded to 41,519 barangays in 144 cities and 1,483 municipalities in 80 provinces with 4.4 million household-beneficiaries nationwide. (DSWD/RJB/LFB/PIA-NCR)
See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/221435820114/more-than-77-000-pantawid-beneficiaries-delisted-#sthash.KsRVhXr7.dpuf
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