A two-day Joint Field Visit of RAC and RIMC was conducted last May 17-19, 2023 in Busuanga, Palawan led by the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Regional Program Management Team (RPMT) MIMAROPA to witness the actual implementation of the program, interact with various other partner stakeholders, and identify and solicit interventions for the benefit of 4Ps beneficiaries.
Representatives of the RAC members, namely, the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Population and Development (PopCom), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), PhilHealth, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP); and of the RIMC members, namely, the Share an Opportunity, iHelp Inc., and Roxas Market Multipurpose Cooperative (ROMMCO), participated actively in it.
The group went to Sitio Depelengged, one of the islands of Calamianes, to interview partner stakeholders from the elementary school and health facility. They conducted a Focus Group Discussion (FDG) with the beneficiaries of the 4Ps after observing the Family Development Session conducted at the site. Afterwards, the group visited the Concepcion National High School and conducted FGD with the teachers as well as students who are beneficiaries of the 4Ps after observing the Youth Development Session. The group witnessed the Oplan Vaccination at the Poblacion Rural Health Center and interviewed the health workers thereafter. Finally, they also had the opportunity to talk to the Sustainable Livelihood Program Association (SLPA) in the area to discuss possible expansion of their business.
“I really appreciate this activity because nakita ng mga partners ang actual na implementation at gaps na dapat matugunan. Nakaka-excite ang possible outcome ng commitments ng bawat agency lalo na ang patubig project na malaki ang maitutulong sa Sitio Depelengged… Ito na ang tamang panahon upang mabigyan ng pagkakataon na ma-uplift ang buhay ng mga katutubo sa sitio. Hindi man agarang pagbabago, ngunit unti-unti tayong may makikitang magandang resulta. Salamat sa lahat ng member ng RAC at RIMC sa kanilang oras, suggestions, recommendations, and commitments para sa mga kapatid na Tagbanua,” Ms. Faith T. Crispino, OIC-Provincial Link of Palawan Provincial Operations Office, expressed.
The RAC is created to effectively co-implement the program with other National Line Agencies to promote joint efforts with partner agencies and local implementers. The Independent Monitoring Committee (IMC), on the other hand, is tasked to monitor the inter-agency implementation of the program at all levels and solicit participation of the private sector with government in the implementation of the program.
“[These] people need the collaborative effort of the NGAs, NGOs, and CSOs but it takes courage and consistency to have results. The most realization came to my mind was that written findings must be put into action to do the right thing, because malasakit is good but without doing the right thing—it’s useless,” Pastora Lydia A. Serrano of iHelp Inc. shared.
As a result, the participants discussed and shared their experiences about the activity and made applicable commitments on the identified issues/ concerns and provide interventions for 4Ps beneficiaries to further increase program compliance and improve their level of well being.
