4,921 households in Northern Mindanao will continue to receive cash grants from the Department of Social Welfare and Development through its Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the conditional cash transfer scheme of the national government.

This after the national government under President Benigno Aquino’s administration declared extension of age coverage for children under the CCT program.

Previously, Pantawid Pamilya only covered those poor families with children whose age range from 0-14 years old. With the Program’s Extended Age Coverage (EAC), the same households that have children aged 15 to 17 shall continue to receive the Program’s cash grants amounting to a maximum of P1,400.00 every month.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a human development program that invests in the health and education of poor households, particularly of children.

The program provides cash grants to beneficiaries provided that they comply with the set of conditions required by the program: Health and Nutrition conditions require periodic checkups, growth monitoring, and vaccinations for children 0-5 years of age; twice a year intake of de-worming pills for children, pre- and post-natal care for pregnant women and attendance of parents in family development sessions.

Education conditions include children’s day-care or school enrollment, attendance equivalent to 85% of school days.

At present, 237,848 households are now benefiting from Pantawid Pamilya in Northern Mindanao.

Written by Charmaine P. Tadlas, Regional Information Officer