DSWD-ARMM Pantawid program resumes distribution of cash grants in Maguindanao

COTABATO CITY– The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DSWD-ARMM) resumes the payout of cash grants to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Maguindanao after months of delay. The delay of the payment of grants for unpaid periods started when conduit Globe Exchange Inc. (GXI) failed to replenish the fund from the previous payouts to its merchant partner Loaded Marketing,” Rahima Datumanong Alba, DSWD-ARMM office-in charge, explained.She also explained that before the suspension of the payout in October 2015, the DSWD, through conduits GXI and Loaded Marketing, was paying Period 5 (September-October) and Period 6 (November-December) of 2014 as well as unpaid grants starting Period 6 of 2012.The release of payout for Period 6 covering the months November-December in 2012 and for the same period in 2014 to 22 towns of Maguindanao willstart onThursday, January 7.Towns in Maguindanao’s first district where qualified beneficiaries would soon receive cash grants are Barira, Matanog, Parang, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Upi, Sultan Mastura, Sultan Kudarat, North Kabuntalan, South Upi, Mother Kabuntalan, and Datu Odin Sinsuat (Dinaig). Those in the second district are as followsand Datu Hoffer, Shariff Saydona, Datu Unsay, Datu Saudi, DatuPiang, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Guindulungan, Talayan, Talitay, Pagalungan, and Pagagawan.Based on DSWD-ARMM data, GXI has previously released a total of P373,852,600 cash grants to 120,286 beneficiaries in Maguindanao. The Land Bank of the Philippines serves as the sole authorized disbursement agent of the DSWD for the nationwide distribution of cash grants. It also authorized money transfer agents to deliver the grants.The choice of conduits went through a bidding process undertaken by the Landbank Head Office Bids and Awards Committee.Sec. Alba reiterated that the agency continuously monitors the distribution of cash grants to the beneficiaries across the region.4Ps is the national government’s flagship poverty alleviation initiative, providing grants to the poorest households in order to improve health, nutrition and education of children.The cash grants comprise P500 per month per household for health and nutrition expenses and P300 per child each month for educational expenses. Households with three qualified children would receive P1,400 monthly.