ORIENTATION. Personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Ilocos region hold an orientation with potential beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program in this undated photo. On Monday (Sept. 30, 2024), the Pangasinan Provincial Board approved a measure prohibiting individuals, groups, and businesses from getting 4Ps beneficiaries’ cash cards, identification cards, and oath of commitment as pawn. (Photo courtesy of DSWD Ilocos regional office)
MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – Pangasinan’s Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) approved on Monday a measure prohibiting the involvement of individuals, groups or business establishments in pawning of 4Ps beneficiaries’ cashcards, IDs, or oath of commitment.
This was confirmed to the Philippine News Agency by Vice Governor Mark Ronald Lambino, who heads the Provincial Board.
“It was approved at the Plenary earlier today. But we still need to have it posted,” he said in Filipino, referring to the requirement to have a copy of an Ordinance published in a newspaper with a provincial circulation before the measure takes effect.
Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) are issued cash card because this is where their monthly financial support is deposited.
However, there are instances wherein these are given to creditors who the 4Ps beneficiaries have borrowed money from as a collateral.
The ordinance against the pawning of the cash card, among others, was authored by Board Member Maricor De Guzman from the fourth district and Board Member Chinky Perez-Tababa from the fifth district.
“This measure is anchored on the belief that we have to protect the integrity of the 4Ps program and ensure that the benefits intended for the welfare of the marginalized communities reach them directly. So in order to discourage pawning of cash cards, IDs, or oath of commitment this measure is necessary,” De Guzman said in an interview.
DSWD Pangasinan provincial link Evafe Terte, during the PB session on Monday, said that while the agency has rules and guidelines on pawning as part of grievances under misbehavior, there are no policies against loan sharks.
In Pangasinan, there are 5,053 cases of pawning of 4Ps cards, IDs, and oath of commitment from 2017 to Sept. 30, 2024, which resulted in sanctions against the beneficiaries.
Erring beneficiaries are warned in the first offense, slapped with suspension of the cash grant for a limited time on the second offense, and delisted on the third offense.
There are 493 cases in District 1; 1,712 in District 2; 907 each in districts 3 and 4, 584 in District 5, and 450 in District 6, DSWD Provincial Grievance Officer Alex Milana said during the PB session.
Terte said DSWD has established measures to monitor and prevent the misbehaviors among the beneficiaries and maintain the program's integrity in attaining the goal to alleviate poverty in the country.
Among these are the deployment of 400 staff in the province who act as municipal links, social welfare assistants, and book keepers, she said.
Complaints against 4Ps misbehaviors that include pawning, vices, gambling, misrepresentation, beneficiary fraudulence collection of any kind, and disinformation reported in any platform such as the hotline 888 or online are validated by the field worker staff.
"If they cannot present their cash cards or IDs or oath of commitment, then it is possible that they have committed pawning," Terte said.
As of Sept. 23, 2024, there are a total of 145,564 households in the province that are beneficiaries of 4Ps, who have received a total of PHP18.8 billion aid. (PNA)
