The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) does not see geographical distance as a barrier to serving its fellow Indigenous People (IP) beneficiaries in Sitio Lucban, Barangay Panaytayan, Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro.

The 4Ps staff from Mansalay, which includes Project Development Officer Casimira Bosio, Municipal Links Catherine Fos, Florence Fos, and Aira Mae Gatoc, crossed three rivers and numerous mountains on February 5, 2024, to conduct Community Family Development Session (CFDS), a program activity that entails educating the beneficiaries about the program and other topics that will aid in their family’s development.

At the same time, the 4Ps team scheduled time for the indigenous children to assist them in maintaining good hygiene. Apart from lecturing them about how important it is to clean one’s body every day, they actually taught them how to do it, just like how to bathe and cut nails.

The Municipal Link designated to the aforementioned site claims that this initiative was initiated in 2019 and only halted during the pandemic era.

“Tuwing nagsasagawa kami ng FDS sa So. Lucban ay napapansin namin na kulang sa kaalaman tungkol sa kalinisan sa katawan ang mga bata, kaya naisipan po namin na magsagawa ng ganitong aktibidad para sa kanila kapalit ng candies (Every time we conduct FDS in Sitio Lucban, we noticed that children lack knowledge about body hygiene, so we thought of doing this activity for them in exchange for candies)”, ML Catherine Fos said.

On the other hand, the Family Development Session is taking place concurrently in each barangay within the town of Mansalay. The Pantawid Pamilya staff are working really hard to keep helping struggling member families, despite the fact that the distance and some circumstances to meet the beneficiaries are bit challenging for them.