BROOKE’S POINT, PALAWAN – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Regional Program Management Office held the Pugay Tagumpay Graduation Ceremony on July 13, 2023 at the Octagon Plaza, Barangay District 1, Brooke’s Point, Palawan to recognize the 155 household-beneficiaries of 4Ps who have graduated from the program.

Among the said beneficiaries, 45 were from the municipality of Sofronio Española while the 110 were from Brooke’s Point. 

Through a message, Hon. Cesareo R. Benedicto, Mayor of Brooke’s Point, and Municipal Administrator Steve Manzul, Sofronio Española Mayor Abner Rafael N. Tesorio’s representative, stated their continuous support to the beneficiaries as they will provide aftercare services for them to ensure that they will not fall back into poverty. Hon. Vice Mayor Mary Jean Feliciano of Brooke’s Point also delivered her words of encouragement to the beneficiaries.

There is a new hope and success on the faces of the graduates. According to the testimony of some beneficiaries, 4Ps is said to be a great help in their lives because their standard of living has really increased. They said, because of 4Ps, they have been able to graduate their children from college and some of them are already professionals.

OIC Regional Program Coordinator Reji A. Pancho, Regional Case Management Focal Person Gerald Antonio, along with Social Welfare Officer Julie Ann Riva and Compliance Verification System Focal Eddie Cañete also attended the program.

Needless to say, the local government of Brooke’s Point and Sofronio Española showed their support for the graduates by providing various programs to help them transition into a self-sufficient life. Their needs will still be monitored for matching opportunities and assistance from the other members of the advisory council, especially from national offices such as DOLE, TESDA, DTI, and BFAR, among other agencies. This is part of the implementation of the Kilos Unlad Framework, a guide to improve the lives of 4Ps beneficiaries within a 7-year period.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is a human development measure of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor, to improve the health, nutrition, and the education of children aged 0-18. As stipulated by the law, a household is required to exit the 4Ps if they no longer have children aged 0-18 to monitor or register, and if they have reached Level 3 in terms of their living conditions, which signifies that they no longer require assistance from the program.

The household-graduates have their own success story to tell as they move forward to being self-sustaining families.